Original Research

The experience of black fathers concerning support for their wives/partners during labour

M.L. Sengane
Curationis | Vol 32, No 1 | a889 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/curationis.v32i1.889 | © 2009 M.L. Sengane | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 28 September 2009 | Published: 28 September 2009

About the author(s)

M.L. Sengane, Nursing Science Department, University of Limpopo (Medunsa Campus), South Africa

Full Text:

PDF (289KB)

Abstract

The goal of this article was to describe the experience of black fathers concerning support for their wives/partners during labour. The research design entailed an exploratory, descriptive, qualitative study that was contextual to clinical nursing. A phenomenological approach to nursing research was utilized, whereby unstructured interviews were conducted with ten black fathers. Two groups of black fathers were purposively selected for the study. Group 1 consisted of fathers who provided support to their wives/partners during labour and Group 2 consisted of fathers who did not provide support during labour. A literature control was undertaken to verify and recontextualize data. The results indicate that most of the fathers in Group 1 experienced negative feelings of nervousness, helplessness and anxiety due to lack of information concerning childbirth. These were coupled with positive feelings such as excitement, overwhelming delight and a sense of miracle. Most of the fathers in Group 2 expressed a feeling of wanting to be there. Lack of information, fear and cultural factors were identified as stumbling blocks. Conclusions drawn from the study included positive attitudes that needed to be enhanced as well as negative attitudes that needed counteracting. The guidelines were based on overcoming the following: cultural taboos; lack of knowledge and fears concerning childbirth; lack of interest in childbirth; and childbirth being regarded as a woman’s department.

Keywords

No related keywords in the metadata.

Metrics

Total abstract views: 4734
Total article views: 3068

 

Crossref Citations

1. First-time fathers' experiences and needs during pregnancy and childbirth: A descriptive qualitative study
Hui Li Poh, Serena Siew Lin Koh, Hui Cheng Lydia Seow, Hong-Gu He
Midwifery  vol: 30  issue: 6  first page: 779  year: 2014  
doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2013.10.002

2. An integrative review of fathers' experiences during pregnancy and childbirth
H.L. Poh, S.S.L. Koh, H.‐G. He
International Nursing Review  vol: 61  issue: 4  first page: 543  year: 2014  
doi: 10.1111/inr.12137

3. A meta-synthesis of fathers׳ experiences of their partner׳s labour and the birth of their baby
M. Johansson, J. Fenwick, Å. Premberg
Midwifery  vol: 31  issue: 1  first page: 9  year: 2015  
doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2014.05.005

4. South African fathers’ experiences with healthcare providers during their partners’ medically high-risk pregnancy and childbirth
Pascal Richardson, Michelle Andipatin
South African Journal of Psychology  vol: 54  issue: 1  first page: 9  year: 2024  
doi: 10.1177/00812463231207511

5. Fathers’ experiences, views and perspectives of childbirth attendance: a qualitative evidence synthesis
Nazia AlAmri, Louise Gallagher, Sunita Panda, Valerie Smith
Midwifery  vol: 149  first page: 104545  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2025.104545

6. Doing homebirth like a man? Constructions of masculinity in South African men’s narratives of homebirth
Nicole M. Daniels, Rachelle J. Chadwick
Journal of Gender Studies  vol: 27  issue: 6  first page: 725  year: 2018  
doi: 10.1080/09589236.2017.1301811

7. A systematic review of factors contributing to partners’ negative birth experiences
Rebecca Hunter, Leonardo De Pascalis, Pauline Slade
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth  vol: 26  issue: 1  year: 2026  
doi: 10.1186/s12884-026-08889-6

8. Experiences of men who support their partners during childbirth in lowresource settings: A descriptive review
Angela Chimwaza, Ezereth Kabuluzi, Melanie Hami, Christina Mbiza, Rebecca Smyth
African Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health  vol: 9  issue: 1  first page: 29  year: 2015  
doi: 10.12968/ajmw.2015.9.1.29

9. First-time fathers’ experiences of childbirth—A phenomenological study
Åsa Premberg, Gunilla Carlsson, Anna-Lena Hellström, Marie Berg
Midwifery  vol: 27  issue: 6  first page: 848  year: 2011  
doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2010.09.002

10. “It was a good… good, bad situation.”: Cameroonian fathers’ experiences of childbirth in Sweden
Benedicta Nges, Ulrika Jonsson, Elizabeth Crang-Svalenius, Li Thies-Lagergren
Midwifery  vol: 113  first page: 103449  year: 2022  
doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2022.103449

11. Childbirth – An emotionally demanding experience for fathers
Margareta Johansson, Christine Rubertsson, Ingela Rådestad, Ingegerd Hildingsson
Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare  vol: 3  issue: 1  first page: 11  year: 2012  
doi: 10.1016/j.srhc.2011.12.003

12. Fathers’ roles matter too: An ethnographic study examining fathers’ roles and the influences on their roles during labour and birth
Mary K. Longworth, Christine Furber, Susan Kirk
Midwifery  vol: 92  first page: 102857  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2020.102857

13. The Experience of Australia's First Nations Men Supporting Their Partners During Childbirth: A Descriptive, Interpretive Study
Yordanka Berg Blanc, Elaine Dietsch
International Journal of Childbirth  vol: 8  issue: 4  first page: 216  year: 2018  
doi: 10.1891/2156-5287.8.4.216

14. How do women, men, and health providers perceive interventions to influence men's engagement in maternal and newborn health? A qualitative evidence synthesis
Liz Comrie-Thomson, Prerna Gopal, Katherine Eddy, Adama Baguiya, Nina Gerlach, Caroline Sauvé, Anayda Portela
Social Science & Medicine  vol: 291  first page: 114475  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114475