The birth of a child is a life-changing event in a woman's life. However, women's
subjective experiences of giving birth have not been extensively researched, while the
literature reflects an inherent realist approach. This has resulted in a decontextualised account
of this critical event in women's lives. This conceptual study discusses the body of
knowledge on the birthing experience from a widened perspective that includes not only the
birthing woman, but also the people she interacts with and the context in which birth is
embedded. The study comments on the way birth is managed in technological society and
how its inherent Newtonian epistemology impacts on a woman's experience of birth.
Ecosystemic epistemology is presented as an alternative approach which provides an holistic
understanding of this experience. A reconceptualisation is proposed which acknowledges the
social construction of birth. Lastly, the alternative birth movement as a more holistic
approach to birth is discussed
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/742 |
| Date | 01 January 2002 |
| Creators | Carpenter, Marisa |
| Contributors | Fourie, David P., kakolwk@unisa.ac.za |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
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