Labor and childbirth

women's understanding and unvealing of the solicitude as an assistential possibility

Abstract

Introduction: the implementation of good practices in labor and delivery is a potent action
to provide more comfort and empower women during this event. Health professionals
carry out a major role, since prenatal care should be given to pregnant women regarding
delivery, and guaranteed access to information about this event. Method: this is a qualitative
research with a phenomenological approach based on Martin Heidegger’s theoreticalphilosophical-
methodological framework, aiming to understand the significances and to
unveil the meanings of the experience of labor and delivery. The location was an in-hospital
normal birth delivery center in the inland of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and 15 women
who experienced vaginal labor in an open interview conducted in July and August 2014
were the participants. Results: from the comprehensive analysis the unity of meaning in
the parturition process emerged: serum increases pain, shower helps and being listened
strengthens. Hedeggerian hermeneutics unveiled the meanings of being-with, of being-ofpossibilities,
of the substitutive-dominating solicitude and of the anticipatory-liberating
solicitude. Conclusion: the woman brought to light that the appreciation of the Nursing and
medical team is not restricted to the execution of tasks, because she feels better cared when
the professionals offer a kind of assistance that sees the other as a being who has possibilities
of choice.