Purpose
The aim of this study is to understand and describe mothers' experiences of breastfeeding by looking at the process of their finding out how to breastfeed while caring for their infant.
Method
The subjects were four women who consented to cooperate for this research. The data was collected with semi-structured interviews hold five times from pre-delivery through three months postpartum. The data was interpreted with phenomenology of Giorgi which was chosen as the most appropriate method for this study as it fits well with exploring meanings of experiences.
Result
The experiences of breastfeeding described by the four women were unique. Case A : “My breast is a sort of tranquilizer for my baby. I know breastfeeding is ultimate means of giving comfort to my baby.” Case B : “I want to breastfeed anytime as long as my baby needs my breast.” Case C : “I noticed that it is important to work in harmony between me and my baby in order to get on well with each other.” And D case : “Breastfeeding is life itself for my baby, and it occupied my mind in the early months after birth.” And then by typifying these mothers' experiences, the following three patterns were explored, 1) Paying attention to babies' reaction while they are being fed. 2) Try to find their own appropriate ways of breastfeeding while checking babies' response. 3) Supported by appreciated feedback from babies about breastfeeding.
Conclusion
The mothers' experiences of trying to get over the feeling of difficulty in breastfeeding were identified. They acquired their own ways of breastfeeding while getting feedback from their babies and found the key to overcome the feeling of difficulty in breastfeeding during everyday breastfeeding. Midwives need to support and watch such process between mother and baby.

View full abstract

Purpose
The early detection of postpartum depression tendency is important in preventing psychological health disorders. Postpartum depression tendency is generally considered to develop due to puerperal acute endocrine changes, but this tendency has been suggested to be more marked when females were less satisfied with delivery. Based on the Lazarus stress theory, we regarded postpartum depression tendency as postpartum stress responses, and evaluated the relationship between the degree of satisfaction with delivery and postpartum stress responses. In addition, from the aspect of psychoneuroendocrinoimmunology, stress-associated factors were measured, and their relationship with postpartum depression tendency was evaluated.
Methods
Between April and October 2004, a questionnaire survey and measurement of stress-associated factors were simultaneously performed twice (terminal pregnancy and early puerperal periods) in 54 females.
The contents of the questionnaire were : “basic attributes”, “delivery course”, “anxiety scale at delivery”, “self-rating scale for delivery experience” as the degree of satisfaction with delivery, and “postpartum depression scale” as a subjective parameter of stress responses. In addition, as objective parameters of stress responses, a stress-associated factor: secretory immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) was measured.
Results
The postpartum depression score was significantly higher (p<0.05) in the low satisfaction score group (35.1 ± 7.9) than in the high group (32.8 ± 4.6). The s-IgA level was significantly lower (p<0.01) in the low satisfaction score group (23.8 ± 13.4μg/ml) than in the high group (29.7 ± 12.1μg/ml). But there was no relationship between s-IgA and postpartum depression tendency.
Conclusion
In the low satisfaction score group, the postpartum depression score was higher and immune function was lower, indicating that postpartum stress responses were highly marked. These results show the importance of checking the degree of satisfaction with delivery for the care of puerperae.

View full abstract

Purpose
This paper aims to describe the experiences of the expectant first-time fathers, who attended small group participative childbirth education classes during the process of pregnancy, childbirth, and child-rearing, and also tries to explore the meaning of the classes to them.
Subject and method
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six expectant first-time fathers, who attended small-group participative childbirth classes. Three interviews with each expectant father were conducted after the classes ended. Qualitative and descriptive analyses based on the phenomenological approach were used for four of six expectant fathers' interviews.
Results
This study found that attending small group participative child birth classes meant to the expectant first-time farthers: (i) restructuring the perception of pregnancy and childbirth within themselves to tackle their own problems, (ii) satisfaction in the process of sharing their experience as a couple, (iii) building confidence in the process of becoming parents, and (iv) understanding the changes of their life after the birth of the children, which they couldn't consider before.
Conclusion
The expectant first-time fathers who attended the childbirth classes shared their anxiety and problems with other participants who were in similar circumstances of impending childbirths. The expectant fathers listened to the experiences of those who already became parents, developed new ideas about pregnancy and childbirth and mentally prepared themselves for the birth. This was a collaborative work of couples that attended the childbirth classes who felt satisfied with the birth experiences. However, it is also concluded that the expectant fathers found themselves unprepared for the postnatal life, although they actively participated to the childbirth education classes.

View full abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this survey is to clarify how midwives have given cares to mothers and the families who experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or death of a newborn baby.
Method
Researcher provided questionnaires to 108 local midwives and asked to return it after filling the paper via post office mail. The contents of the questionnaire were: 10 questions regarding if they encountered death of a perinatal baby or a newborn baby, and whether they suggested mother and her family to meet the dead baby, 10 questions to find if they have tried the early stage care to comfort mothers and the families, and 6 question to find if midwives provided or have been providing continuous cares to mothers and the families, and the total was 26 questions. We also asked midwives to indicate how frequently they performed these care activities, and to rank their self-assessment whether they were capable to do the work independently, or wished assistants or supervisors would help them. We then asked midwives to give us comments if mothers were healed by their cares, or if they faced any difficulties.
Results
46 midwives (42.6%) responded the questionnaires. More than 50% of midwives had practiced 13 cases out of 26, which were suggesting meeting the baby and telling how to overcome the sadness. Among midwives' cares for death of a prenatal or newborn baby, cares that midwives can do independently were suggesting to meet the baby and guiding how to overcome the sadness. However, they thought it was hard to give continuous cares to mothers and her families. Cares which, midwives felt, were positively accepted by mothers and her families were suggestions to make memories of the baby, and to meet the baby to be with it. On the other hands, difficulties they pointed out were confused sentiment and complicated emotions of their own, hardness of giving continuous cares, and having consultation from the specialists.
Conclusion
These results suggest that midwives need to communicate with other midwives and/or colleagues, so that they could examine if they gave cares aptly for perinatal loss, and then if it would be possible to ask community midwives to give continuous cares.

View full abstract