Parents' experience of early discharge from hospital after birth in Sweden.
OBJECTIVE
to investigate the factors that influence the experience of mothers and fathers when they have chosen to return home, earlier than is the normal routine, following the birth of their baby.


METHODS
a qualitative study, using open interviews, was undertaken. The text of the transcripts was coded and categorised according to the grounded theory method using constant comparative analysis.


METHODS
interviews were carried out with 12 parents, six mothers and six fathers, individually in their own homes. They had all left a maternity/family ward at the Helsingborg Hospital in southern Sweden within 26 hours of birth whereas the normal discharge time is 72 hours.


RESULTS
'a sense of security' was the core category. Achieving a sense of security linked to informed choice for early discharge appeared to be dependent on the following categories: (l) the midwives' empowering behaviour; (2) affinity within the family; (3) the parents' right to autonomy/control; (4) physical well-being. There appears to be an inner connection between each of these categories.


CONCLUSIONS
the midwife's empowering behaviour supports the parents' sense of security and encourages their informed choice of earlier discharge after birth. When the mothers' and babies return home it strengthens the affinity within the family and the father's sense of participation.
Persson
Eva K
EK
Department of Nursing, Lund University, SE-221 00, Sweden. eva.persson@omv.lu.se
Dykes
Anna-Karin
AK
D000328:Adult; D000739:Anecdotes as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009775:Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010351:Patient Discharge; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D013997:Time Factors