Mother's experience in managing labor pain in Central Java Indonesia

Background: Maternal mortality ratio in Indonesia is still high compared to other ASEAN countries. One of the causes of maternal death is obstructed labor associated with anxiety, stress and pain. In some areas of Indonesia have the traditional ways to cope with pain during childbirth. This tradition is inherited from one generation to the next generations. The objective of this study was to explore the experience of mothers on coping with pain which are influenced by culture, values and beliefs of the Java community.Methods: This study used a phenomenological qualitative approach. A total of five people in Magelang regency, Central Java participated in this study, selected by using purposive sampling and data was analyzed by thematic content analysis,Results: The result of this study consist of four themes, namely mules (uncomforted feeling in stomach) and stiffness in stomach’s muscle because the baby would be born which is a mother's perception of pain during childbirth, mothers perform actions in the physical, psychological and spiritual for pain, parents teach in eating and drinking, attitudes and actions in reducing labor pain, the parents and provider are source who convinced her to take action to manage labor pain.Conclusions: Culture affects maternal in managing pain, so nurses need to notice to the cultural aspects of nursing care adjusted to the patient's beliefs and culture