Experiences of Infant and Child Care of Mothers with Disabilities in Turkey: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Mothers with disabilities have difficulties fulfilling their gender and motherhood roles. The purpose of this study was to determine the infant and child care-related experiences of mothers with disabilities in Turkey. A conventional content analysis was used in this qualitative design. Fourteen mothers with disabilities participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews
consisting of open-ended questions about their infant and child care experiences. Three themes and eight subthemes emerged from the data analysis. The themes were: role fulfillment, barriers, and coping and support. All of the women said that they wanted to become mothers, and when they did so, they felt they had fulfilled their roles in society. However, there was a societal misconception that woman with disabilities ‘could not give birth to children or would not properly care for them. Measures should be taken to eliminate negative social perceptions of mothers with  disabilities. Public support should be provided to meet the needs of mothers with disabilities. (Afr J Reprod Health 2018; 22[4]: 81-91).

Keywords: Mothers with disabilities; child care; infant care; qualitative research, Turkey