Becoming an ‘Amai’: Meanings and experiences of motherhood amongst Zimbabwean women living in Melbourne, Australia

doi:10.1016/j.midw.2016.12.011

Midwifery

Volume 45, February 2017, Pages 72-78

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2016.12.011 Get rights and content

Highlights

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Little is known about the meanings and experiences of motherhood among Zimbabwean women in Australia.
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The paper provides conceptual understanding of the lived experiences of these migrant women.
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Women attempted to be a good mother amidst other difficulties due to their migrant status.
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Motherhood represented a symbol of power that helped women to deal with migrant life better.
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Findings can be used for midwives to make the motherhoode xperience of these women a positive one.

Abstract

Background

little is known about the meanings and experiences of motherhood among Zimbabwean migrant women. This paper discusses the meanings and experiences of motherhood from the perspectives of Zimbabwean migrant women living in Melbourne, Australia.

Methods

qualitative methods (in-depth interviewing, photo elicitation and drawing) were conducted with 15 Zimbabwean women who had children in Zimbabwe and in Australia. Data were analysed using thematic analysis method.

Findings

Zimbabwean women defined motherhood in varied ways. Common to all women was that becoming a mother had a significant meaning. Motherhood came with a sense of responsibility for children which resulted from their compromise and sacrifice. The dedication was exhibited by participants who demonstrated commitment to motherhood when striving to be a good mother. While motherhood provided pleasure and joy, some women found the role of motherhood burdensome in their new homeland. Due to cultural expectations of motherhood, women kept their difficulties silent for fear of being judged a ‘bad mother’. The unfamiliarity with the health and social care systems in Australia presented challenges to these women. Often, they were treated without respect and felt discriminated against.

Conclusions

our findings reveal the paradox of motherhood. Although motherhood can be burdensome, there are positive changes brought about by the process of motherhood. Due to a lack of knowledge about the health and social care system and the negative experiences with health care in Australia, the women felt overwhelmed about becoming a mother in Australia.

Implications

healthcare providers, including midwives, need to understand how migrant women perceive and experience motherhood and their mothering role as this will help to improve the health and social care for these women and their children. Findings from this study provide a basis for further investigation into the formation and strengthening of support networks for Zimbabwean mothers in particular, and to other migrant women in general.

Section snippets

Background

Motherhood is a significant life transition that holds special meanings to individual women and their families (Hoang and Kilpatrick, 2009, Murray et al., 2010, Ngum Chi Watts et al., 2015). According to Goodwin and Huppatz, (2010), motherhood not only shapes the woman's life and identity, but it also disrupts their sense of self. Motherhood involves physical and emotional experiences that result in a sense of responsibility for the baby (Miller, 2005, Liamputtong, 2006). Becoming a mother is a

Moral career and motherhood: theoretical framework

In this paper, we situate our discussion on the moral career of motherhood theory (Murphy, 1999, Liamputtong, 2006). The moral career of motherhood refers to the expectations of mothers as the “keepers of morality” when women carry out their mothering practices (Liamputtong, 2006, p. 25). The ideologies of good motherhood include staying at home and devotion to childrearing (Miller, 2005). For some women, it can be difficult to match the idealised image of a ‘good mother’ (McMahon, 1995,

Methodology

This paper is based on our qualitative research conducted with Zimbabwean women in Melbourne, Australia. A qualitative approach was essential in order to have an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences of Zimbabwean migrant mothers. Qualitative research allows us to have better understanding about the meanings and interpretations of peoples’ experiences (Bourgeault et al., 2010, Liamputtong, 2013, Creswell, 2014).

In this study, in-depth interviewing method was used in combination with

Findings

There are several concerns emerged from the data including: Becoming an ‘amai’; Mothering roles: constant teaching and nurturing; Motherhood: rewards and challenges, and Experience with health and social care. These are discussed in the sections below. In presenting the verbatim quotations of the women, we adopted a pseudonym to protect their true identity.

Becoming an ‘Amai’

The common Zimbabwean term the women used to refer to motherhood was “amai” which is culturally used to describe a woman or a mother who has various roles. To the women in this study, a woman was not a mother until she had a baby. Therefore, motherhood was defined by the actual birth of a baby. Motherhood was also seen as a life journey. Once a woman had a baby her life changed. Netsai, a mother of three, defined motherhood as a role that brought people together in a family, and a mother was

Mothering roles: constant teaching and nurturing

Many women in this study related mothering roles to their Zimbabwean cultural upbringing, whereby their own mothers taught them important rules of life in order to become a responsible citizen. Mothers must teach the children how to behave in a society and to work hard to succeed. This was commonly mentioned by most participants.

Motherhood means making sure that I teach my kids how to behave in the society. Making sure that I teach my kids to socialise well with everyone in the community. I

Motherhood: rewards and challenges

Motherhood had a positive and negative impact on the women. Loyce, a mother of three, used a metaphor of ‘a ride’ to illustrate this; sometimes it was ‘a beautiful ride’ and other times it would be ‘a wild ride’. Many women believed that motherhood was actually the most rewarding experience that made a woman feel ‘complete’.

… I’m a complete woman … So my role as a mother here is quite satisfying and my children have grown up now. Even when they were younger I did everything and I enjoyed it

Experience with health and social care

Most women experienced challenges when accessing the Australian health and social care systems. Unfamiliarity with the health and social care systems presented many challenges for these women. Often they described being treated without respect and being discriminated against. Some also reported being labelled and receiving racially stereotypical comments when attending the healthcare system. In this context, some mothers, felt overwhelmed about becoming a mother in their new homeland.

I think

Discussion

As other migrant mothers (Liamputtong and Naksook, 2003, Liamputtong, 2006, Tsai et al., 2011, Gyesaw and Ankomah, 2013, Ngum Chi Watts et al., 2015), Zimbabwean women defined motherhood in varied ways. Common to all women, however, becoming a mother had a significant meaning to the women (Liamputtong, 2006, Tsai et al., 2011, Ngum Chi Watts et al., 2015). For the participants in this study, becoming a mother surpasses the physical act of giving birth but includes the achievement of the

Implications for midwifery and healthcare

The findings from this study contribute to conceptual understanding about motherhood among Zimbabwean migrant mothers. Motherhood impacted on the women differently. Although women are culturally expected to become a mother, their mothering role can become problematic based on certain factors such as migration. Our findings provide a basis for further investigation into the formation and strengthening of support networks for Zimbabwean migrant mothers in particular and to other migrant women in

Funding source

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to the Zimbabwean women who took part in this research.

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View full text

Becoming an ‘Amai’: Meanings and experiences of motherhood amongst Zimbabwean women living in Melbourne, Australia

Highlights

Abstract

Background

Methods

Findings

Conclusions

Implications

Section snippets

Background

Moral career and motherhood: theoretical framework

Methodology

Findings

Becoming an ‘Amai’

Mothering roles: constant teaching and nurturing

Motherhood: rewards and challenges

Experience with health and social care

Discussion

Implications for midwifery and healthcare

Funding source

Acknowledgement

Women and Birth

Women and Birth

Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing

Midwifery

Women's Studies International Forum

Midwifery

Pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood: a metasynthesis of the lived experiences of immigrant women

Midwifery

Pregnancy outcomes and migration in Switzerland: results from a focus group study

International Journal of Public Health

The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Methods in Health Research

Using thematic analysis in psychology

Qualitative Research in Psychology

Antenatal perceptions of pregnant African women attending maternity services in Melbourne, Australia

Midwifery

Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches

Becoming a mother: the meaning of childbirth for African-Canadian women

Contemporary Nurse

In a Different Voice

Good Mother: contemporary Motherhoods in Australia

Understanding illness: using drawing as a research method

Qualitative Health Research

Experiences of pregnancy and motherhood among teenage mothers in a suburb of Accra, Ghana: a qualitative study

International Journal of Women's Health

Talking about pictures: a case for photo elicitation

Visual Studies

The Cultural Contradictions of Motherhood