Högskolan i Skövde

Background: Further research is needed about the women’s experience of support during labor in order for health professionals to respond to a woman’s unique needs.

Aim: To explore first time mothers experience of giving birth as well as professional and social support during labor.

Method: This study was carried out in southwestern Sweden in 2008. A qualitative method with content analysis was chosen for the study. The unit of data is from 14 women’s written narratives.

Results: Results show that the women’s experiences of being involved in decisions and the relationship to professional and social support during their first labor can be conceptualized as one main theme: "Most important for first time mothers’ during labor is to be respected for their needs, to feel involved in the care, and support from their partner". This theme contained three categories: "To be respected for their needs", "To be involved in the care" and "Support from the partner". A safe and calm environment positively influenced the women’s sense of support, and the ability to have her partner physically present positively influenced the sense of support.

Conclusion: When healthcare professionals responded to a woman’s unique needs during labor, the woman felt that the support was based on her as an individual and possibility to being involved in decisions; otherwise a feeling of uncertainty emerged. If the woman’s partner was able to offer support, then it was essential that he was physically present in the room throughout the birth.