Table 1 Characteristics of the participants and their newborn children.
Group of variables | Variable | Categories | n | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Socio-demographic | Nationality | Portuguese | 271 | 90.0 |
Foreigner | 30 | 10.0 | ||
Marital status | Single | 70 | 23.3 | |
Married or de facto union | 227 | 75.4 | ||
Divorced | 4 | 1.3 | ||
Schooling | Primary education | 8 | 2.7 | |
9th grade | 49 | 16.3 | ||
12th grade | 126 | 41.9 | ||
Bachelor’s degree | 85 | 28.2 | ||
Master’s/PhD | 33 | 10.9 | ||
Preparing for parenthood | Pregnancy planning | No | 116 | 38.5 |
Yes | 185 | 61.5 | ||
Pregnancy complications | No | 242 | 80.4 | |
Yes | 59 | 19.6 | ||
Prenatal class attendance | No | 144 | 47.8 | |
Yes | 157 | 52.2 | ||
Labour and postpartum experiences | Type of labour | Normal-vaginal | 139 | 46.2 |
Vaginal-forceps/suction cup | 58 | 19.2 | ||
Urgent caesarean | 61 | 20.3 | ||
Elective caesarean section | 43 | 14.3 | ||
Companion during labour | Nobody | 174 | 58.8 | |
Family | 98 | 32.6 | ||
Healthcare technician | 26 | 8.6 | ||
Technician who assisted in the 2nd stage of labour via the vaginal route (n = 197) | Nurse | 83 | 42.1 | |
Doctor | 114 | 57.9 | ||
Nurse support during labour | Yes-support | 238 | 79.1 | |
No-support | 63 | 20.9 | ||
Self-control during labour | Yes-control | 139 | 46.2 | |
No-control | 162 | 53.8 | ||
Feeling strong during labour | Yes-strong | 213 | 70.8 | |
Not strong | 88 | 29.2 | ||
Feeling afraid during labour | Yes-fear | 173 | 57.5 | |
No-fear | 128 | 42.5 | ||
Immediate skin-to-skin contact | No | 117 | 38.9 | |
Yes | 184 | 61.1 | ||
Breastfed in the first hour | No | 106 | 35.2 | |
Yes | 195 | 64.8 | ||
Difficulties in breastfeeding | No | 195 | 64.8 | |
Yes | 106 | 35.2 | ||
Newborn’s characterising variables | Newborn’s weight | 1500 to 2500 kg-Low weight | 18 | 6.0 |
2500 to 3999 kg-Normal weight | 271 | 90.0 | ||
≥ 4000 kg-Macrosomic | 12 | 4.0 | ||
Newborn’s sex | Male | 148 | 49.2 | |
Female | 153 | 50.8 | ||
Food given to the newborn in the maternity ward | Breast milk only | 197 | 65.4 | |
Formula only | 18 | 6.0 | ||
Breast milk and formula | 86 | 28.6 | ||
Child’s diet at the time of answering the questionnaire | Exclusive breastfeeding-No | 116 | 38.5 | |
Exclusive breastfeeding-Yes | 185 | 61.5 |
