Abstract
From a conception of decision as a process that depends less on rationality than usually thought, for it implies each person’s subjective thinking, this study aimed to identify the reasons underlying a woman’s decision for having a natural childbirth, in a social context where the hegemonic model is a medicalized delivery within the hospital setting. This clinical-qualitative research was conducted with data collected using semi-structured interviews with ten women who had a natural childbirth, selected by snowball sampling. Results were interpreted in the light of thematic analysis with the theoretical contribution of psychoanalysis. A woman’s decision for a different birth method was found to be related to the construction of her identity as both a woman and a mother, which is directly associated with the mother-daughter relationship. In other words, such a decision is beyond rational sense and conscious logic, being related to each subject’s primitive experiences. Moreover, the decision for a natural childbirth represents an attempt for women’s singularization, thus reflecting some inventiveness. When opting for a natural birth, these women demanded for a new way of giving birth - giving birth in their own way.
Keywords:
Natural Childbirth; Decision; Mother-Daughter; Psychoanalysis