Beyond control: body and self in women's childbearing narratives

    Authors

    S. K. Carter

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Sociol. Health Ill.

    Keywords

    body; self; control; pregnancy; childbirth; PREGNANCY; CHILDBIRTH; EXPERIENCE; BACK; FIT; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; Social Sciences, ; Biomedical; Sociology

    Abstract

    In the United States, childbearing is often conceptualised as a time when women lose self-control over their bodies. This project examines issues of bodily control through a social constructionist analysis of in-depth interviews with 18 predominantly white, working and middle class women who have recently given birth in the US. Findings indicate that many participants construct themselves as both in and out of control of their bodies during childbearing. Participants also describe body/self relationships in ways that transcend power and control, perceiving the body as autonomous, accommodating and collaborating. Accommodating and collaborating bodies were described here only among participants who gave birth in the midwifery model of care. The findings illuminate various ways of conceptualising the body and point to the use of different bodily discourses by women who give birth in medical and midwifery models.

    Journal Title

    Sociology of Health & Illness

    Volume

    32

    Issue/Number

    7

    Publication Date

    1-1-2010

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    993

    Last Page

    1009

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000283992700002

    ISSN

    0141-9889

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