Solo mothers after assisted conception and their experiences with postnatal care

Abstract

Purpose: To explore solo mothers’ postnatal caring experiences. Patients and Methods: A qualitative interview study including nine solo mothers living in six different counties in Norway. The mothers had a total of twelve children conceived through assisted fertilization and donor sperm. Systematic text condensation was used to analyze the data. Results: The first theme described how the decision to be a solo mother entailed responsibility and rendered solo mothers vulnerable. Secondly, it was valuable, but sometimes surprising, to be met with care and interest, but, and finally, bending standard rules and regulation of the postnatal ward proved necessary to fit the needs of solo mothers. Conclusion: Solo mothers see themselves as different from other mothers, and the results of this study underline that solo mothers’ individual needs are not always met in postnatal care.