Caesarean section deliveries: Experiences of mothers of midwifery care at a public hospital in Nelson Mandela Bay.
Thobeka P Jikijela, Sindiwe James, Balandeli S I Sonti
PMID 29415551WHAT IT FOUND
Mothers after caesarean section described pain that limited breastfeeding, self-care and holding their babies.
Some felt supported by midwives; others experienced neglect, disappointment and poor equipment. Pain relief helped some manage pain.
Key findings
01Mothers described post-caesarean pain as fulfilling, unbearable or manageable with pain-relief medication.
02Pain caused numbness, difficulty breastfeeding and limits to self-care.
03Mothers experienced health care services as supportive, neglectful and uncaring, or disappointing.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was done at a single public referral hospital in Nelson Mandela Bay, and the authors say it does not represent all caesarean section deliveries in the Eastern Cape. Only 11 mothers were included, and two interviews were from a pilot study that was included in the main analysis. The design was qualitative, so it reports experiences and themes, not measured outcomes or treatment effects.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as proof that a specific pain-relief or midwifery programme improves care. The study described mothers' experiences at a public hospital and did not test an intervention.