Background: The goal of postnatal care is to provide the highest possible quality of care and medical safety with the least possible intervention in order to optimize health and wellbeing of the new family. The aim of the study was to describe mothers´ experiences in relation to a new postnatal home-based model of midwifery care.
Methods: The current study uses a cross-sectional mixed method design to assess a new postnatal home-based model of midwifery care in Sweden. Healthy women with an uncomplicated pregnancy and childbirth, and with a healthy baby answered an online questionnaire one week after birth. Data were collected during one year (2017-2018) and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics for quantitative data, and manifest content analysis for qualitative data.
Findings: In total, 180 mothers with one to six children were included. They were most likely to have been discharged between six and 12 h after childbirth (56%) and 90% reported that the time for their discharge was good. The postnatal check-ups included were telephone contact (100%), home visit(s) (94%) and hospital visit(s) (98%). Most mothers had a positive postnatal care experience from using the new postnatal model of midwifery care (mean VAS 8.74, Std. Deviation 1.438). For 75%, of the participants, home-based postnatal care would be preferred for their next childbirth.
Conclusion: Home-based postnatal care is well accepted by mothers who were discharged early after childbirth. Mothers with a positive experience of the new postnatal model of midwifery care would prefer home-based postnatal care for their next childbirth. Midwifery care should include home-based postnatal care.
Keywords: Childbirth; Experiences; Home-based care; Model of postnatal care; Mothers.
Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.