Skin-to-skin contact : multicultural perspectives on birthfluids and birth ‘dirt’

Aim: To explore the experiences of women from three populationgroups of immediate skin-to-skin contact with their newborn baby. Method: A mixed methods approach was adopted in a phenomenologicalstudy to elicit the experiences of English, Pakistani and Bangladeshi women.Audio-taped diaries, semi-structured interviews, photographs and videorecordings were employed. Concept-mapping was central to data analysis. Results: This paper is focussed on the novel finding that the womencontextualised secretions and bodily fluids from birth, finding them to beacceptable. This contradicts the beliefs of many midwives that all Asianwomen find blood and bodily secretions abhorrent and culturallyunacceptable. All of those in the study reported positive experiences of skin-to-skin contact despite varying degrees of soiling from birth fluids. Limitations: The study was conducted in a single setting, with no attempt toensure that participants were in all ways representative of others in theircultural groups nationally. Third party translation during interviews with Asianwomen may have added an unsought layer of interpretation to the study. Theimposition of cultural expectations in the recruitment process by peer groupmembers probably excluded some potential participants. Conclusion: Stereotypical assumptions about cultural background rather thanrecognition of women’s individual beliefs and needs often characteriseprofessional responses. When this stereotyping was put aside, women of all three cultures whether breast-feeding or bottle-feeding, were able to enjoyskin-to-skin contact with their newborn babies.Implications for nursing and health policy: The findings from this studysuggest that changes will be needed in professional practice to be more opento women’s expressed preferences, in local policy to ensure that choices aremade clear and are available, and in national strategic direction to ensurewidespread adoption of positive practices if opportunities to increasebreastfeeding, to promote parent-child bonding, and to support patient choiceare to be realised