“I Managed It Pretty Good”: Birth Narratives of Adolescent Mothers

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Allyson L. Kelley, Adjunct Instructor (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/

Abstract: The aim of this study was to understand adolescent mothers’ childbirth experiences. Semi structured interviews were conducted with participants recruited from a community-based program for adolescent mothers. Fourteen mothers described their birth experiences. Using a narrative analytic approach, responses were reconstructed into birth stories. Stories, condensed into poetic form, were compared and contrasted. Four unique categories emerged: connected births, surreal births, disconnected births, and disempowered births. Categories differed by agency, support, and emotional tone. Positive support was found in stories that portrayed high agency and positive affect, whereas problematic support was apparent in stories that conveyed passivity, frustration, and disappointment. This study has implications for tailoring childbirth education for adolescent mothers and can inform health-care professionals working with this population.

Additional Information

Publication
Nichols, T. R., Brown, M., Coley, S. L., Kelley, A., & Mauceri, K. (2014). “I Managed It Pretty Good”: Birth Narratives of Adolescent Mothers. The Journal of Perinatal Education, 23(2), 79-88. doi: 10.1891/1058-1243.23.2.79
Language: English
Date: 2014
Keywords
adolescent mothers, narrative analysis, social support

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