First-time mothers' perspectives on relationships with and between midwives and doctors: insights from a qualitative study of giving birth in New Zealand.

OBJECTIVE: to explore the experience of giving birth for first-time New Zealand mothers. DESIGN: qualitative methodology was employed to obtain an in-depth insight into the birth experience using semi-structured interviews conducted face-to-face 11 days to 16 weeks (median 13.5 weeks) after giving birth were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. SETTING: the interviews were of a small group of New Zealand mothers. PARTICIPANTS: ten first-time mothers aged 24-38 years (median 31.5 years) participated. MEASUREMENTS: transcripts were analysed using a phenomenological form of thematic analysis. FINDINGS: a core theme was relationship issues. Two subthemes were delineated: lack of relationship between mothers and midwives and doctors; and the conflict between midwives and doctors. KEY CONCLUSIONS: personal, caring and co-operative relationships with all maternity care professionals were basic to New Zealand mothers feeling good about their birth experience. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTISE: relationships, with and between, all maternity care professionals merit further investigation in an effort to optimise birth satisfaction.