title: [Immediate puerperium: unveiling the meaning of maternity].
abstract: The meaning of maternity must be deepened among parents. The goal of this study is to know the meanings of maternity in face of the puerperal mothers' needs in rooming-in of a general hospital in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This research followed the qualitative paradigm of exploratory descriptive-like features. The data was collected from a sample composed of 15 women ranging from 24 to 48 hours of puerperium. Three categories emerged through content analysis: the meaning of being a mother difficulties of immediate puerperium and necessities of immediate puerperium. According to the results, puerperal mothers define maternity as a dream coming true allied to the responsibility and commitment with the newest living being fragile and dependant on their care. We conclude that maternity for these puerperal mothers is a unique, a moment with feelings of insecurity towards self-care and taking care of the newborns.
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. marcirejane@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Márcia Rejane
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Strapasson
authors.forename: Maria Noemia Birck
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Nedel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D012386:Rooming-in Care; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult