HEALTH-RELATED ACTIVITIES
IN FAMILIES WITH A NEW BABY
Mason K
Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, Australia
Objective: To identify, describe and interpret
day-to-day activities in families to promote and maintain child and family
health.
Methods:
This prospective, qualitative study explored health-related activities in a
cohort of 'average' Australian families during their baby's first year.
Sixteen families, recruited during the mothers' postnatal stay in hospital,
participated in unstructured interviews in their homes. Data collection and
analysis were driven by the grounded theory techniques of constant,
comparative analysis and theoretical sampling.
Results: Arrival of a baby placed new demands on family
resources as parents strived to meet not only the needs of the baby but
also other family members and the family as a whole. A theory of balancing was generated through data
analysis to explain how parents draw upon a range of resources and
strategies in their efforts to maintain both individual and family health
and wellbeing.
Conclusion: These findings have implications for
nurses and other health professionals who work with families with young
children to ensure that health services are family-friendly to support
parents in meeting the challenges of adding a new baby to their family.