Ever since low fertility was realized as representing social issue of our society, research on related phenomenon has been invigorating along with multidimensional efforts of government encouraging childbirth. Feminism researches have indicated that m...
Ever since low fertility was realized as representing social issue of our society, research on related phenomenon has been invigorating along with multidimensional efforts of government encouraging childbirth. Feminism researches have indicated that most analyses on cause and resolution of low fertility phenomenon did not fully reflect true needs of women who were in charge of pregnancies, births, and rearing. Although the ethnographic case study on the motherhood which contains women’s real voices of pregnancies, births, and rearing has been most actively researched on in the view of feminism, it is a limitation that is too focus on revealing the essence of institutional motherhood existing inside women’s experiences to show motherhood experiences of a variety of viewpoint. Therefore, this research tries to explore mothers’ subjective experiences in terms of women’s welfare with research issue on what impacts “maternal roles” which women perform from pregnancy of first baby to rearing it influence on second birth plan. The purpose of this research is to offer grounding data which can be base for the development of policy and service for women’s welfare to respond to low fertility on the basis of understanding “first maternal role” which women experience from pregnancy to early rearing. In the research process, qualitative research is used, which can provide pertinent view and strategy of phenomenology on women's motherhood. Nine participants who were raising their first child were in-depth interviewed and principal concepts and subjects to discover their empirical situation from the collected interview data were drawn and reconstructed. Under the great theme, “the acknowledgement of second birth plan after first motherhood experience”, 2 themes and 17 minor themes were extracted.
The first part is “the process of first motherhood experience” which embraces 10 minor themes: “I am mother from now on!”, “I heard prenatal care is crucial”, “I am getting more nervous as the expected day coming”, “it was touched the moment that I hold the baby in my arms for the first time”, “every part of body is ache”, “my own life is nowhere and disappeared”, “there are lots of quarrel about rearing with husband”, “the relationship with in-laws and friends has changed because of the baby”, “I think I am getting accustomed to”, “all the grind disappears when my baby kiss me”. The contents of “first maternal roles” which females experience from pregnancy to early rearing are held in here. The second part, “the period of consideration about second birth”, consists of meaningful statement of participants to contemplate second birth plan after the first experience. Probing the participants’ statements, it is divided into three factors. First factor, “child-centered” perspective, is to consider second birth plan dependant on the practical needs of first child, and second one is self-centered perspective, which tends to consider only “I-centered”. The woman is an adult female as well as a mother. Because the woman has needs not only as a mother but also as an adult female, those from two areas sometimes conflict and discord with each other and have an effect on second birth plan. Finally, third one is proposals and viewpoints of people around her. Grounded on first motherhood experience, more actualized and embodied conflicts and considerations about second birth plan are exposed. The most influencing determinants involving in second birth plan are needs of child and the woman directly involved. Peripheral factors affects on rationalization of decision-making process of the woman directly involved in second birth plan considered with child and me factors. Three elements which are children, me, surroundings, all influence mother to make second birth plan and are ultimately integrated into ‘I’ perspective, the woman directly involved. In making a decision of second birth, it is unearthed that self-decision of woman who is the subject of pregnancy and raising children is highly considerable. The invention of social welfare policy and service for low fertility phenomenon should start with fully recognizing motherhood experience of the woman directly involved.
Present government supports of low fertility do not have any effect on woman’s birth decision. The gender equality perspective and whole society's responsibility for child rearing are required. Also social policy related low fertility should reflect women’s overall needs as individuals as well as mothers.