A qualitative study of the postpartum experience of Chinese women living in England

Abstract

Objective: to explore the postnatal experiences of Chinese women living in Manchester, including the factors that contributed to their thoughts and feelings. Background: Chinese culture embraces some unique postnatal traditions, which can create conflict but also increase support for Chinese mothers. This study is the first to investigate Chinese women’s postnatal experiences in the UK. Methods: In this qualitative study eight mothers were interviewed. They spoke either both Chinese and English or Chinese only. Grounded theory was used to analyse the interview transcripts. Results: Two main themes of distress were identified: isolation and conflict. The women’s preferred spoken language and cultural norms determined the extent and nature of their distress. All mothers felt some degree of isolation during their early motherhood, especially when they felt unsupported by local services and family members. Chinese-speaking mothers felt more isolated, whereas bilingual mothers described more conflict, which they attributed to cultural differences with peers, as well as the role of their mother-in-law and that of traditional cultural practices. In addition, the absence of a strong parenting model seemed to be a mediating factor. Conclusions: These findings could promote understanding and provide insight into the potential expression of postnatal depression in Chinese women.

Keywords:

• postnatal experience
• postnatal depression
• Chinese community sample
• qualitative study
• grounded theory
• women

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Wai Yin Women’s Centre and the National Childbirth Trust worker for their support of this study and the eight women who shared their views and feelings with us. Thank you to Kerry Chan for her help with the translations and Vania Ranjbar for her help with the credibility checks.

Notes

1. It is associated with a variety of traditions including dietary, behavioural and hygiene precautions, as well as practices associated with infant feeding.