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Fathers' experience of childbirth and its relation to crying in his infant
1National Institute of Psychosocial Factors and Health, Stockholm, Sweden.
Insights
Fathers who experienced negative childbirth events reported more infant crying. Complications during delivery were linked to increased infant crying, highlighting the father's role in infant well-being.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal psychology
- Infant development
- Family studies
Background:
- Previous research indicated a correlation between fathers' negative childbirth experiences and infant crying.
- Understanding the father's perspective is crucial for family well-being and infant care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore and interpret fathers' experiences during labor and delivery.
- To identify factors influencing fathers' perceptions of childbirth.
- To investigate the relationship between fathers' experiences and infant crying.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative interviews with 109 fathers when their infant was 6-12 months old.
- Interviews were conducted in families' homes with both parents present.
- Open-ended questions were used in a dialogue format.
Main Results:
- Complications during delivery significantly correlated with increased infant crying.
- Fathers reporting negative childbirth experiences were more likely to feel helpless or guilty.
- Negative staff behavior was more frequently reported by fathers who perceived delivery negatively.
- Locus of control emerged as a key concept in understanding fathers' experiences.
Conclusions:
- Fathers' childbirth experiences, particularly delivery complications, are linked to infant crying.
- Psychological factors like helplessness and guilt, influenced by staff interactions, are significant for fathers.
- The concept of locus of control is important for understanding fathers' roles and experiences in childbirth and early infant care.
Abstract:
As part of a research project exploring ways through which we can understand the crying infant and its family, this study focuses on the experiences of fathers during labour and delivery of their infant. In a previous part of the project it was shown that fathers' negative experiences during the childbirth were correlated with the amount of crying in the infant during the first months after birth. The aim of the present study was to explore and interpret the experiences that fathers reported in an interview when the infant was between six months and one year of age. A hundred and nine fathers were interviewed. The interviews, which took place in the families' homes and with both parents present, were carried out in dialogue form with open-ended questions. The results reveal that complications during the delivery were significantly correlated with the amount of crying in the infant. Feelings of helplessness, of guilt and that staff behaviour had been negative were more common in the group of fathers who experienced the delivery as a negative event. 'Locus of control' seems to be the most relevant concept.