Role changes in primiparous women during 'doing the month' period

Abstract

Introduction: Zuò yuèzi, or 'doing the month', is a postpartum tradition among ethnically Chinese women, and the purpose is to restore the organ and endocrine function of the mother's body to normal. The period for 'doing the month' is generally between 30 and 40 days postpartum, and some problems in the establishment of the mother-child relationship and adaptation to motherhood may occur during this period. Yet, this is an easily often-ignored period for caring. This "doing the month" period refers to the Chinese postnatal confinement of the nursing mother for one month immediately following the birth of the child, known as zuò yuè zi and has many strict traditional guidelines. There are even specialty private women's "hospitals" set up for the one-month stay catering to the nursing mother, though new mothers may also experience the postpartum period at home with home or family relative care.

Aim of study: To explore the transition to motherhood and the role of the feelings and experiences of primipara 'doing the month' period.

Design: A qualitative research methodology was utilized to conduct the research. In-depth interviews were conducted.

Setting: The study was conducted in a zuò yuè zi area in Taiwan, from March 2016 to March 2017.

Participants: Twenty healthy primiparas were recruited using a purposive sampling method, a snowball sampling method, and were interviewed during 'doing the month' period.

Findings: The change from being a childless adult to being a mother experienced by the participants during 'doing the month' period was divided into two themes: 'Motherhood burden' and 'Motherhood adaptation'. 'Motherhood burden' contained the following subthemes: 'motherhood stereotypes', 'fatigue', and 'frustration'. By contrast, motherhood adaptation contained the following subthemes: 'compromising in the face of reality' and 'being practical and realistic'.

Key conclusions and implications for practice: Two of the challenges of role transition around women's experiences of initiating breastfeeding for the first time during 'doing the month' period are psychological burden and acceptance of maternal responsibilities. Therefore, the needs of primiparous women transitioning to motherhood during 'doing the month' period must be considered to ensure that such women are sufficiently prepared and competent as mothers and to promote the establishment of mother-child relationships.

Keywords: Doing the month; Motherhood; Primiparous women; Role transition; Zuò yuè zi.