The beginning of life is an intense experience for both mother and baby and sets the foundation for future interactions. Researchers have theorized that maternal infant bonding begins prenatally and continues on through the postnatal period. Mṻller (1996) examined that process to determine if prenatal bonding was related to postnatal bonding and discovered that there was only a modest correlation between the two. This led to speculation as to what variables, besides prenatal bonding, could influence postnatal bonding. Klaus & Kennell (1976) noted the detrimental effects of a lack of bonding in terms of abuse and attachment disorders and emphasized the urgency of understanding the process. Thus, an examination of factors that influence the initial attachment after birth is important in order to facilitate the experience for optimal outcomes. The purpose of this study was threefold: 1. Examine the relationship between a woman’s perceived birth experience and maternal infant bonding; 2. Examine the relationship between spirituality and maternal infant bonding; 3. Examine the relationship between perceived birth experience and maternal infant bonding. Women were recruited for an internet survey through various childbirth websites, nurses’ associations, and perinatal listserv communications. A total of 402 women responded to the survey, which consisted of 67 items in three instruments: Perception of Birth Scale; Spirituality; and Maternal Attachment Inventory. Of these respondents approximately 300 finished the survey completely and were used in the analyses. Slightly more than 190 left extensive comments regarding their experiences. Predictive Analytical Software (PASW 18) was used to analyze data and correlations were run on the measurements of the three instruments as well as a regression analysis. Perceived birth experience had the strongest correlation to maternal infant bonding and was found to have a stronger influence on bonding as well.

Little is known about how the decision for elective cesarean section comes about in the clinical environment. A prospective longitudinal study based on the Health Belief Model was conducted about first time mothers’ decision making processes and their health beliefs which led to their satisfaction with their decision about their mode of delivery. A convenience sample of 144 nulliparous women with singleton pregnancies and no medical indications requiring a cesarean delivery were recruited using internet based informational notices and with flyers. Women (n = 127) planning a vaginal delivery (VDMR) represented 88.2% of the sample and women (n = 17) requesting a cesarean delivery (CDMR) represented 11.8% of the sample. Data were collected during the third trimester and six weeks after the delivery using an internet-based questionnaire. Data were analyzed using t-tests and multiple linear regression to predict the effect of maternal health beliefs, maternal childbirth self efficacy, partner support, acceptance of the maternal role, and request group (VDMR vs. CDMR) on the dependent variables of maternal perception of the delivery and maternal satisfaction with her decision for the mode of delivery. Compared to women with VDMR, women with CDMR were significantly older, less educated, perceived more risk of emergent cesarean and less ability to deliver vaginally. Hypothesis testing indicated that the overall regression model did not significantly predict maternal perception of the delivery. The model accounted for a significant amount (15.1 %) of the variance in maternal satisfaction with the decision for mode of delivery. Acceptance of the maternal role and maternal request group significantly contributed to the model indicating that women with higher acceptance of the maternal role and women with CDMR had poorer satisfaction with their decision for the mode of delivery. The findings showed that factors influencing maternal perceptions of the delivery and satisfaction with the mode of delivery are different. Health beliefs had less relevance for perception of the delivery. It is possible that experiences that occur within the context of the delivery are more salient for maternal perception. Women with higher acceptance of the maternal role and who request a cesarean delivery are at risk for less satisfaction with their delivery decision and more decisional conflict and thus may need more support during decision-making processes and after delivery. Future research should examine the long-term impact of dissatisfaction with delivery decision on maternal outcomes.

Previous research has explored whether method of childbirth, such as home birth, hospital birth, or cesarean section, influences a woman's birth experience (Felming, Ruble, Anderson, & Flett, 1988). However, the influence of the child birth method on social perceptions of the mothers has yet to be explored. Social support for new mothers is an important factor in promoting postpartum adjustment (Collins, Dunkel Schetter, Lobel & Scrimshaw, 1993; Demyttenaere, Lenaerts, Nijs & Van Assche, 1995; Landy, Montgomery & Walsh, 1989). Yet it is possible that the amount of social support a new mother receives is affected by unseen biases regarding the method of childbirth. The current study explores whether mothers more negatively view other mothers who had a method of childbirth different from their own preferred method of childbirth. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three vignettes describing a new mother. One version describes a mother who had a hospital birth with an epidural, one describes a mother who had a home birth with a midwife, and one describes a mother who had a non-emergency scheduled cesarean section. Participants completed the Interpersonal Adjective Scale (IAS) and a Perception of Character Scale to assess their perceptions of the mother. Participants who preferred to have a home birth showed a high degree of variation in their ratings of the hypothetical mothers' dominance and submissiveness as a function of her birth method whereas participants who preferred to have their children in the hospital showed little variation in their ratings of the mothers' assurance and submissiveness. Participants who preferred to have their children in a hospital rated the hypothetical mother lower on perception of character than participants who preferred to have their children at home.