NEGOTIATING MOTHERHOOD: THE DIFFICULTIES AND CHALLENGES OF RURAL FIRST-TIME MOTHERS IN PARUNG, WEST JAVA

Abstract A hermeneutic phenomenological study was carried out to explore the difficulties and challenges of being a first-time mother in a rural area in Indonesia. The purposes of the present study were to provide health care providers with a greater understanding of the difficulties and the challenges of early motherhood. The thirteen Indonesian women who participated in this study described their experiences of first-time motherhood during early motherhood. Data were collected through semi structured conversational interviews. Three majors difficulties and challenges were identified:(1) being a new mother is not easy (2) a new mother is not as free as she was before and (3) trying to be a good mother.These challenges have offered insight, information and understanding into the experiences of Indonesian women with early motherhood. Also, this study will give a richer and deeper understanding of the needs of women during this period and about their feelings on the mothering role, which is useful for health care providers and others, who are concerned about this issue.