Overcoming to limitations of blind mothers: a phenomenological study

Background: Mothering is a major development in woman’s life. One of the disabilities that could affect mothering is blindness or visually impairment. The concerns and challenges of blind mothers expand beyond their visual impairment. Some training programs such as rehabilitation program tried to fill educational gap, but such programs have not been conducted in Iran yet. This study aimed to introduce approaches to blind mothers’ for caring of their child. Methods: A hermeneutic phenomenology approach was used. Face to face interviews were conducted in the Ardabil of Iran in 2015 with nine blind mothers who were congenitally and totally blind. Van Manen approach was used to obtain data. Qualitative data were analyzed to isolate themes that were hidden in the lived narratives of the participants. Approval of Ethics Committee was received from Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Result: These themes emerged from the analysis of data: (a) breakdown of social negative attitude for mothering duty of blind mothers, (b) recognition of their right to bear and rear children, (c) improving of their self-confidence. Conclusion: This study showed that blind mothers must show their capabilities to care their children like the other mothers. They find some strategies based on their remaining senses: touch, smell, and hearing. They have extraordinary abilities for children raising. To improve blind mothers’ abilities to provide appropriate care of their children, deep understanding of their concerns and challenges is essential that will help them i