Midlife mothers favor `being with' children over work and careers.

BACKGROUND: The majority of American women juggle careers and the demands of mothering. The experiences of midlife mothers on the issues of work and motherhood are important to explore because birth rates for older women continue to rise in the United States and in other countries including the U.K. and Canada. OBJECTIVE: To present a unique viewpoint on work and mothering from the perspectives and experiences of older first-time mothers. METHODS: A purposive sample of thirteen women aged 45-56 years old participated in two in-depth interviews. Findings emerged in the context of a larger hermeneutic phenomenological study that aimed to understand older first-time mothers' perceptions of health and mothering during the transition to menopause. RESULTS: A paradox emerged in which the realities of motherhood did not meet the women's expectations. They were surprised by the centrality of commitment they felt towards the child and voiced strong ideals about how to do mothering right that included making changes to work schedules to be more available to their children. CONCLUSION: Health care professionals should be aware of specific issues that exist for older first-time mothers including adjustments to work. This knowledge will inform the support, education and care provided for these women.

Triple whammy: women's perceptions of midlife mothering.

PURPOSE: To understand women's experiences as older first-time mothers during the transition to menopause. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A hermeneutic, phenomenological study exploring the lived experiences of 13 women aged 39 to 47 when they achieved first-time motherhood. Women were mothering one or more children aged 12 or younger and experiencing symptoms of perimenopause. Data were generated through two in-depth interviews with each woman. Meaning was mutually negotiated through dialogue with the women and simultaneously with the text, as well as through ongoing data analysis. RESULTS: Four themes emerged: Achieving First-Time Motherhood at Midlife, Intensive Mothering, Out of Sync, and Perimenopause as a State of Uncertainty. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Increasingly, nurses and nurse midwives will be caring for women aged 40 and older as they navigate motherhood during the transition to menopause. Through their stories, women can share concerns they have about mothering at an older age, and the effect of perimenopausal symptoms on their mothering experiences. Nurses should offer anticipatory guidance to women who delay motherhood until midlife, provide information about the transition to menopause, and assess the older mother's level of social support. Nurses can help build capacity for support within community and professional resources, such as hospital supported mother/baby and breastfeeding support groups.