婦女產後身體改變與角色覺醒之經驗

Experience of Body Changes and Role Awakening in Postpartum Women

背景：隨著產後住院天數的縮短以及緊湊的育兒指導，產婦難有梳理產後身體改變的機會，而醫療人員較少理解產後身體改變的影響。
目的：揭露產後婦女身體與角色改變之經驗與感受。
方法：本研究以梅洛龐蒂（Merleau-Ponty）的理論作為方法論的基礎，採質性研究，立意取樣臺灣北部兩家醫學中心產後滿二個月至六個月內之婦女，進行深入訪談，並以解釋性現象學分析法進行分析。
結果：呈現兩個核心主題，核心主題一「產後的身體不是我的身體」描述婦女因產後的身體改變喪失自主權，產後的身體不再屬於她們自己；而核心主題二「重新接納產後的自己」呈現婦女經歷產後身體改變後，她們重新適應轉變的過程。
結　論／實務應用婦女產後失去原本的自己而成為「客體」，但這也觸動轉變的契機，她們仍可找回自我主體性。在現今的產後照護中，婦女少有抒發自我身體改變的機會，本研究過程使婦女反思身體與自我的轉變，說明臨床人員可基於尊重及傾聽，協助婦女找到屬於她們的主體性，使婦女能夠以自己的能力面對產後生活。

Background: The reduced number of postpartum hospitalization days and decrease in providing intensive parenting guidance experienced in Taiwan in recent years may impact negatively on postpartum mothers. Moreover, these changes have reduced the opportunities available to professional caregivers to learn about the physical impacts of the postpartum period on new mothers.
Purpose: This study was designed to explore how postpartum women perceive their feelings and experience their bodies and roles after childbirth.
Methods: Based on Merleau-Ponty’s theory, this qualitative study included purposive sampling at two medical centers in northern Taiwan. Information on bodily changes and self-perceptions during postpartum care was collected using in-depth, open-ended interviews with women between two and six months postpartum and was analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.
Results: Two major themes were identified. The first theme,“My postpartum body is not my own”, indicates that postpartum women perceive their bodies as no longer belonging to themselves. The second theme,“Refamiliarization with the postpartum body”, describes how the participants adapted, accepted, recognized, and gave new meaning to the changes in their bodies during the postpartum period.
Conclusions/ Implications for Practice: Although women may feel that they lose their identity and become“objects”after childbirth, this experience may trigger an opportunity for transformation that allows them to re-identify as“subjects.”By listening with respect, clinicians can help postpartum women understand they are in control of their lives. This may help postpartum women identify their capabilities and embrace postpartum life with greater optimism.