Babies Removed at Birth: Mothers and Midwives Experiences

Wendy Marsh PhD Student

Supervisors: Professor Jill Shawe, Dr Ann Robinson

and Dr Jen Leamon (Bournemouth University)

“Right, where do I start? I might as well start at

the beginning”(Lilly)

Midwife 1

What are the experiences of mothers who have their baby removed at birth and what elements of their midwifery care were helpful or unhelpful to them at that time?

What are midwives’ experiences of providing care to women who have had or will be having their babies removed at birth and what do they need in order to provide the best care for this group of women?

Babies removed at birth: Mothers and Midwives Experiences

Photo-elicitation

• “A simple idea of inserting a photo into a research interview” (Harper, 2002)

• Can be taken by researcher or participant• Empowers research participants• Collaborative approach• Stimulates dormant thoughts and feelings• Leaders to greater insight into individual

experience • Appropriate for sensitive topics

(Rose, 2014)

Research design

• Qualitative methods using narrative inquiry approach

• Data collection - Face to face interviews and focus groups both incorporating photo-elicitation techniques

• Data analysis – Holistic content analysis• Ethical considerations• Ethos of participatory research

Sample

Mothers

• Five mothers• Aged 29-35• At least one baby

removed• Within 2 years

Midwives

• Eight midwives• Aged 34-48• Between 1-23 years of

experience• All experienced providing

care within last 2 years

Data collection process

Mothers Series of 3 interviews 1 - Demographical

information/introductions 2 - Sharing the story Participants collected

images Printed and returned 3- Shared in final

interview

Midwives Attended two separate

focus groups 1- Sharing their stories in

groups of 2 to 3 Participants collected

images Printed and returned 2 – Shared in final focus

group

Data analysis

• Six focus groups• Eight face to face

interviews• Observation field

notes and reflections• 40 photographs• Interpretations and

insights of images shared as narratives

Amber

“This photo sums it up in a nutshell for me” (Lilly)

Lilly’s Story

“Yeah, the bear….um I bought that when I was pregnant. It was the only thing I could bring myself to buy”………..

Lilly’s Story

Conclusions

• Yielded a richer and deeper dialogue• Facilitated a participatory research process• Empowered research participants• Lead to new knowledge that had not been

revealed in verbal only interviews/focus groups• Embraced creativity and reflexivity• Does have limitations• Provides an opportunity to enrich research

studies

Questions

References

Close, H. (2007) ‘The use of photography as a qualitative research tool’, Nurse Researcher, 15(1), pp. 27-36.

Collier, J. (1986) Visual Anthropology: Photography as a Research Method. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico.

Harper, D. (2002) Talking about pictures: a case for photo elicitation. Visual Studies. 17(1).

Hurworth, J. (2003) Photo interviewing for research. Social Research Update. 40, Guildford: University of Surrey.

Liamputtong, P. (2006) Researching the Vulnerable. London: Sage Publications Ltd.

Harrison, B. (2002) ‘Seeing health and illness worlds – using visual methodologies in a sociology of health and illness:

a methodological review’, Sociology of Health and Illness, 24(6), pp. 856-872.

Prosser, J. (1998) The status of image-based research. In Image Based Research, ed. J Prosser. London: Routledge.

Rose, G. (2014) Visual Methodologies: An Introduction to Researching with Visual Materials, London: Sage Publishing.

Schulze, S. (2007) The usefulness of reflexive photography for qualitative research: a case study in higher education.

South Africa: University of South Africa Press.