The family experiences in their home return with the first son

Abstract

Objective: With the purpose of subsidizing the nursing care to the growing family, this study aimed to identify the situations the family experiences when they come home with their first child, extending the focus of the binomial mother-child in the puerperal period to the whole family in the household. Materials and Methods: A qualitative study and a descriptive-exploratory method were used. Five families were observed for a certain period of time after childbirth. Results and Data Analysis: The analysis of contents revealed the following categories: family changes; organization of the daily life; the care among family members; the family’s feelings and perceptions; family relations; and family needs. The connection of the family with health professionals, acquired through interaction and trust, is considered to facilitate the educational actions and the continuity of the process of providing health services to the families. Final Considerations: It is recommended that the health services develop actions which consider the families in this stage of the family’s vital cycle and that this reference is included as part of the nurse’s academic training.