title: Separation, failure and temporary relinquishment: women's experiences of early mothering in the context of emergency hysterectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the experiences of women who have had an emergency hysterectomy following a severe postpartum haemorrhage and the impact on their early mothering experiences.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Postpartum haemorrhage and subsequent hysterectomy is a traumatic birth event. Traumatic birth experiences have the potential to impact on a woman's experience of motherhood and her initial relationship with her baby. The relative rarity of this event makes it easy to dismiss the experiences of women having a hysterectomy following childbirth. Little is known about a woman's early mothering experience in the context of having an emergency hysterectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative naturalistic inquiry approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected through semi-structured qualitative interviews from 21 Australian women who had an emergency hysterectomy following a severe postpartum haemorrhage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings revealed three themes in relation to early mothering experiences in the context of having a hysterectomy following a severe postpartum haemorrhage. They were 'initial separation: lost bonding time', 'feelings of failure' and 'relinquishing care of the infant'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This paper highlights the ways undergoing emergency hysterectomy following childbirth can impact on the experience of early mothering in the postnatal period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Greater recognition and attention to the specific needs of women who have an emergency hysterectomy following childbirth is required. Providing women with an opportunity to talk, debrief and ask questions related to their birthing experiences, will help women to reconcile their feelings. Giving women the opportunity to have their infants with them in intensive care unit, together with ongoing emotional support and anticipatory guidance, may also be useful approaches in assisting women during this difficult and traumatic time.
authors.affiliation: Family and Community Health Research Group, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Western Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Rakime
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Elmir
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schmied
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wilkes
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001010:Anxiety, Separation / Q000523:psychology*; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000379:methods; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D009517:New South Wales; D009769:Object Attachment; D036801:Parturition; D011184:Postoperative Period; D006473:Postpartum Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012649:Self Concept; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult