Congratulations you're a mother: a strategy for enhancing postnatal education for first-time mothers investigated through an action research cycle

The transition to motherhood is a time of great change and an experience for which many women do not feel adequately prepared. This study sought to benefit women in the transition to motherhood by enhancing the postnatal teaching offered to first-time mothers in hospital following childbirth. The study followed an action research cycle to design, implement and evaluate an educational resource for first-time mothers during the immediate postnatal period. Methods for collecting data included focus groups and an anonymous self-completed questionnaire. The research was undertaken at a suburban public hospital in Adelaide. The findings showed that both midwives and first-time mothers considered lack of time as a significant factor in giving and receiving postnatal education. It was also found that the provision of relevant information was important. The study identified that specific information relating to baby-care and self-care are primary educational needs for first-time mothers. The resource, "Congratulations You're a Mother" was developed in response to these findings and was found to be beneficial in providing postnatal education. The study provides a platform for further investigation of postnatal education using larger samples in the broader context of Australian society.