Motherhood experiences from the perspective of first-time mothers.

This study explored the early motherhood experiences of 79 first-time mothers. All women reported normal pregnancies and deliveries, delivered healthy infants at term, and were surveyed at 6 weeks postpartum using the Inventory of Functional Status After Childbirth. Mothers' written comments were subjected to a content analysis, and much of their commentary revolved around the "conspiracy of silence" that appeared to exist about the realities of motherhood. Most commented that no one had prepared them for the unrelenting demands of infant care, the level of fatigue they would experience, the loss of personal time and space, and the realities of 24-hour-a-day infant care. The women also cited their partners as their main support person during the early weeks of motherhood. Although maternal child health nurses and midwives are well placed to offer prenatal education and long-term professional support postpartum, perhaps what is needed is active, anticipatory preparation for motherhood that begins long before the first pregnancy becomes a reality.