Background New mothers experience childbirth as an existential event and may need guidance to navigate emotional challenges. However, current pregnancy care is predominantly biomedically and physiologically oriented, whereas aspects related to existential life changes are not equally cared for. Hence, there is a need to explore postnatal existential aspects among new mothers, including paradoxical thoughts about meaning, love, and strength. This study aimed to explore first-time mothers' experience and make sense of existential aspects in the earliest postnatal days, as these are expressed and embodied in their ‘narratives of the beginning’ during the transition into motherhood. Methods Semi-structured interviews with 18 first-time mothers were conducted from a phenomenological perspective, and inductive reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify key themes. Existential psychology and narrative medicine were used as conceptual frameworks. Results Three themes and two subthemes were identified: (1) A long grand moment – altered perception of time, (2) Moving into higher realms - soft and full of love, and (3) Reflection supports understanding. Conclusion The mothers expressed satisfaction with being interviewed, which prompted reflection in the first days postnatally. Furthermore, the mothers described living with an altered time perception and experiencing a ‘next level of happiness’. Engaging in conversations about experiences of happiness, love, and meaning is a fundamental part of salutogenic midwifery care and seems essential in the care of first-time mothers before discharge from the postnatal care unit.
Brøgger et al. (Mon,) studied this question.