Women's contact with the baby and experiences of the delivery and healthcare professionals
| Contact with the baby | N (missing) | n (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seeing | Yes | No | |
| Wished to see the baby | 101 (0) | 95 (94.1) | 6 (5.9) |
| Saw the baby | 99 (98.0) | 2 (2.0) | |
| Circumstances of seeing | |||
| Was showed without being asked | 95 (0) | 29 (30.5) | |
| Was asked | 33 (34.7) | ||
| Asked herself | 9 (9.5) | ||
| Was encouraged by the staff | 24 (25.3) | ||
| Holding | Yes | No | |
| Wished to hold the baby | 101 (0) | 85 (84.2) | 16 (15.8) |
| Held the baby | 83 (82.2) | 18 (17.8) | |
| Circumstances of holding | |||
| Was given the child without being asked | 80 (3) | 18 (22.5) | |
| Picked up the baby herself | 10 (12.5) | ||
| Was asked | 35 (43.8) | ||
| Asked herself | 4 (5.0) | ||
| Was encouraged by the staff | 13 (16.3) | ||
| Time spent with the baby (h) | |||
| <1 (or just after the birth) | 100 (1) | 25 (25.0) | |
| 1–11 (or 1 time/day) | 27 (27.0) | ||
| >12 (or 2–4 times/day) | 48 (48.0) | ||
| Sufficient time with the baby | 95 (0) | 74 (77.9) | |
| Too little time | 19 (20.0) | ||
| Too much time | 2 (2.1) | ||
| Statements about the birth | Agree | ||
| I have good memories of the delivery | 99 (2) | 46 (46.5) | |
| I have unpleasant memories of the delivery | 97 (4) | 60 (61.9) | |
| I was too sedated/had been given too much medication | 95 (6) | 11 (11.6) | |
| I wish I was asleep/in general anaesthesia | 91 (10) | 25 (27.5) | |
| I received too little pain relief | 94 (7) | 26 (27.7) | |
| Role of healthcare professionals | |||
| They were a good support when I gave birth | 97 (4) | 83 (85.6) | |
| They showed respect towards the baby | 99 (2) | 94 (94.9) | |
| They showed tenderness towards the baby | 96 (5) | 91 (94.8) | |
| They showed fear towards the baby | 97 (4) | 6 (6.2) | |
| They distanced themselves from the baby | 98 (3) | 2 (2.0) | |
| Experience of seeing/holding the baby | |||
| It was unpleasant | 86/74 | 36 (41.9)/24 (32.4) | |
| It was upsetting | 88/75 | 57 (64.8)/49 (65.3) | |
| It was sad | 94/80 | 90 (95.7)/79 (98.8) | |
| It felt good | 92/79 | 75 (81.5)/68 (86.1) | |
| It felt calming | 88/75 | 63 (71.6)/57 (76.0) | |
| It felt completely natural | 88/77 | 71 (80.7)/62 (80.5) | |
| Statements about the healthcare professionals | |||
| They supported me in seeing the baby | 94 | 91 (96.8) | |
| They supported me in holding the baby | 91 | 80 (87.9) | |
| They supported me in choosing whether or not to see the baby | 89 | 70 (78.7) | |
| They supported me in choosing whether or not to hold the baby | 90 | 68 (75.6) | |
| They should have been more active in suggesting things to do with the baby | 89 | 22 (24.7) | |
| They should have been more withdrawn and let me decide more | 89 | 6 (6.7) | |