Title

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

Authors

Authors

S. K. Carter

Comments

Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

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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