3.

3 Discussion

The age distribution of the mid wifes shows sign of maturity with a percentage closer to 40%

of them being over 30 years. Even though majority of the mid wifes were married, no

information existed to reveal the proportion of women who had children and this could have

helped the study to understand a mid-wifes as a mothers perception to labour pain. About

80% of the mid wives have been working there for more than 3 years and this has made them

familiarize the type of women who deliver at Tema Poly Clinic. Even though all mid wives

have the same goal they tend to differ a lot in terms of how they react to women who go

through labour pain at the Poly Clinic. 92.5% of the women however cited that they comfort

such women who go through labour pain and this alone shows that the nurses at Tema Poly

Clinic exhibit empathy towards women in labour pain. The responses of the mid wives show

a division in their conscious thinking among the nurses; whereas some mid wifes supported

providing encouragement others also response by helping the woman towards a normal

delivery.

The present study asserts some behaviours that are tolerable and intolerable by mid wifes

during the stage of labour pain. The findings revealed that Closing of the thigh, diverting

frustration unto nurses, patient jumping in out of the bed and crying out aloud were

considered as non-acceptable behaviours whilst screaming and being uncooperative due to

lack of resistant to pain as acceptable behaviours. The findings however ascertain Ochieng

(2007) reported that mid wives are said to be very rough and not bothered by the pains

women go through.

In other for women to develop a change in attitude and retract their negative perception

towards mid wives it was therefore recommended based on the opinion of the mid wives that

women were to be educated on the rules and acceptable practices of the mid wives, pain
management option was also to be discussed with the patient and also the need to create

effective communication. This is however similar to Mander (2008) report that a change in

attitude towards the control of labour pain cannot occur until perceptions and attitudes

towards pain in general have changed. In this regard, Sellers (2004) states that the important

aspect in dealing with pain in labour is the personal attention, which is given to the woman.

In addition, Seibold et al (1999) in his literature put out that womanmidwife relationship

should be a partnership and be based on equality, shared responsibility, empowerment,

continuity of care-giving, individual negotiation and informed choice and consent.

Even though countless measures exist to manage labour pain, it was observed that mid wives

only depended on encouraging and enforcing women to alley in a comfortable position so as

to reduce their pain. This relates to Almushait and Ghani (2014) report that studies have

identified non pharmacological pain relief methods like movement and changes in position 66

(77.3%), counter pressure 48 (54.5%) and breathing exercises 56 (63.6%) as methods known

and commonly used by midwives and other health care professionals.

Others mid wives also recommended the use of diversional therapy. However not much was

mention about the use of pharmacological pain relievers in the management of pain.

The mid wives performed their duty based on their ethics without discriminating against any

woman in labour pain. About 12.5 % of the mid wives in the study prefer to give preferential

treatment to some patients who had some specific traits (i.e. Ethnocentric).

The mid wives role in labour are numerous. The existence of a mid-wife with much

experience in areas such as pain management was considered as a sure way for labouring

woman to have safe delivery.

In identifying the possible reasons for mid wifes responses to women experiencing labour

pain. The findings revealed that their act was to prevent complications endangering the health
of the mother and baby, ensuring the women did the right thing, create awareness that the

normality of such pain as a passage of womanhood and first time pregnancy. The findings

were however not related Hunter (2001) report that midwives working within the hospital

system strive to provide woman-centered care whilst their own needs remain

unacknowledged hence managing such contradictions is likely to create emotional work.

References
Ochieng, J. (2007). Giving Birth in Kisumu -Kenya, Popular Slum Midwife Makes Child

Delivery Pure Pleasure: African Press, Kisumu.

Almushait M & Ghani RA (2014). Perception toward Non-Pharmacological Strategies in

Relieving Labor Pain: An Analytical Descriptive Study. J. Nat. Sci. Res. 4(2):5-12.

Mander, R. (2008). Pain in childbearing and its control. Berlin: Blackwell.

Sellers, PM. (2004). Midwifery. Volumes 1 and 2. Cape Town: Juta.

Seibold BA, Miller M & Hall J (2009) Midwives and women in partnership: the ideal and the

real. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 17: 2127.

Hunter, B. 2001. Emotion work in midwifery. a review of current knowledge. Journal of

Advance Nursing, 34(4):436-444.