HOW WOMEN EXPERIENCE THE PRESENCE OF THEIR PARTNERS AT THE BIRTHS OF THEIR BABIES

This article is a phenomenological study of 40 Finnish women's experie nces of their partners' presence at the births of their children. It i s part of a longitudinal research program in maternal health, sufferin g, and care. Observations of lived even ts and 80 dialogic interviews were analyzed according to Colaizzi. The partners' presence could alle viate the suffering of loneliness, pain, and uncertainty during delive ry and give the women strength to endure the suffering as well as shar e their joy. Even when women were insulted by their partners, they sti ll preferred their partners' presence. The presence meant communion to the women and, in its deepest sense, the creating of families. The co mmunion emanates from the partners' caring for each other and for thei r babies. For the women, the partners are not only support persons hut also, above all, the fathers-to-be, a double and sometimes paradoxica l assignment in the health care culture.