Table 2 Women’s Perception of Support and Control during Childbirth (N = 200) [22]

Internal control

1.The pain was too great for me to gain control over it*

2.I was overcome by the pain

3.I was able to control my reactions to the pain

4.I was mentally calm

5.I was in control of my emotions

6.I felt my body was on a mission that I could not control*

7.Negative feelings overwhelmed me*

8.I gained control by working with my body

9.I could control the sounds I was making

10.I behaved in a way, not myself*

External control

1. I had control over when procedures happened

2.I could influence which procedures were carried

3.I decided whether procedures were carried out or not

4.People in the room took control*

5.I had control over the decisions that were carried out or not

6.I could get up and move around as much as I wanted

7.People coming in and out of the room was beyond my control*

8.I chose whether I was given information or not

9.I could decide when I received information

10.I had control over what information I was given

11. I felt I had control over the way my baby was finally born

Support

1. The staff helped me find the energy to continue when I wanted to give up.

2. The staff seemed to know instinctively what I wanted or needed

3. The staff went out of their way to try a new way to try to keep me comfortable.

4. The staff encouraged me to try new ways of coping (such as breathing techniques).

5. The staff realized the pain I was in

6. The staff encouraged me not to fight what my body was doing

7. I felt like the staff had their own agenda*

8. I felt like the staff tried to move things along for their own convenience*

9. I was given time to ask questions

10. The staff helped me to try different positions

11. The staff stopped doing something if I asked them to stop

12. The staff dismissed things I said to them