EXPLORATION OF POSTPARTUM CONFINEMENT EXPERIENCES AMONG FIRST-TIME MOTHERS FROM THE THREE MAJOR ETHNIC GROUPS IN SINGAPORE: A DESCRIPTIVE QUALITATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Background: Today, modern Singaporean mothers who usually adopt western healthcare still embrace traditional confinement practices (TCP) after childbirth. Postpartum confinement often marks a significant milestone of maternal experiences and may directly impact future procreation decisions. Limited studies have explored in-depth and focused specifically on the collective postpartum confinement experiences of Chinese, Malay and Indian first-time mothers in Singapore. Aim: To explore the postpartum confinement experiences of first-time mothers from the three major ethnic groups in Singapore, namely Chinese, Malay and Indian. Methods: A descriptive qualitative design with purposeful sampling was used to recruit 16 first-time mothers from two obstetric clinics in a Singapore public tertiary hospital, during their maternal or baby’s checkup. Semi-structured individual face-to-face/telephone interviews were conducted using an interview guide. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Five themes emerged: “Diet adopted and avoided for different purposes”, “Complexity of various TCPs adopted”, “Reasons for adopting TCPs”, “Reasons for modifying TCPs”, and “Postpartum challenges”. Confinement diet played a significant role in lactation, maternal recovery and breastfed baby’s well-being. TCPs became increasingly complex as mothers cross-culturally adopted other ethnicities’ TCPs, and conflicting traditional and contemporary beliefs had caused confusion. Generally, mothers adhered to TCPs due to fear of consequence of non-adherence, media and elder’s influence, and popularization of normalized practices. However, tradition was challenged where mothers modified or rejected TCPs according to practical and hygiene needs. Mothers encountered difficulties while adapting to postpartum physiological symptoms, breastfeeding, emotions and motherhood. Conclusion and implications: Insights were provided regarding first-time mothers’ postpartum confinement experiences in Singapore. Healthcare professionals should educate mothers on harmful TCPs and their misconceptions, using scientific evidence, for maternal and baby’s safety. Future studies could develop ways to preserve useful TCPs that are progressively disappearing and enhance postpartum continuity care using technology.