BEING A MOTHER AFTER THIRTY: EXPERIENCES AND PERCEPTIONS OF FIRST TIME MOTHERS

Becoming a mother is an important mile stone in the life cycle of a woman. Today greater number of women are concentrating on higher education and seeking careers which push their plans to marriage and childbearing to a back-seat. Yet, the natural instinct of becoming a mother remains deep seated in the mind and when they get well settled in their careers, sometimes it is little late in life, most of them opt to have children. Mercer’s theory of ‘Becoming a mother’ (BAM) applies to all mothers including those who become mothers after thirty. Therefore, a study was undertaken to explore the perceptions and experiences of ‘first time mothers after the age of thirty’. The objective was to know the factors leading to late marriage, late conception and how do these mothers cope up with the problems associated with their pregnancy and child bearing and rearing. A qualitative research approach, using grounded theory was applied, in- depth interview of eight women was conducted to generate required data. These women had delivered their first babies in the age ranging between 31-38 years. Confidentiality was assured, written informed consent obtained and permission was obtained to record the interview. Categories that emerged from the interviews were: Centrality of marriage and motherhood, self determination-choices and rights, coping with and support for child birth and child rearing, and influence of rituals and beliefs. The core category thus identified was, “Urgency for Motherhood”.

Conclusion: It was concluded that many women get married little late these days and bear their children at an advanced age for various reasons. First time mothers after thirty have varied experiences and perceptions about their motherhood.