Table 4 Women’s reports of types of support given by birth companions at intervention sites
From: Birth companionship in a government health system: a pilot study in Kigoma, Tanzania
Support type | During labor % | At time of birth % | Postpartum % | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DBCa | OBCb | Total | DBCa | OBCb | Total | DBCa | OBCb | Total | |
N = 327 | N = 134 | N = 461 | N = 204 | N = 205 | N = 409 | N = 331 | N = 12 | N = 343 | |
Cleaned my clothes/linens | 15.9 | 3.7 | 12.4 | 13.7 | 2.3 | 8.3 | 82.8 | 33.3 | 81.1 |
Comforted me with kind words, singing, prayer, etc. | 49.9 | 73.9 | 56.8 | 43.1 | 65.9 | 54.5 | 16.9 | 25.0 | 17.2 |
Communicated with family/husband | 2.8 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 6.9 | 3.9 | 5.4 | 10.3 | 8.3 | 10.2 |
Communicated with staff | 32.7 | 56.0 | 39.5 | 11.8 | 16.6 | 33.3 | 12.7 | 0.0 | 12.2 |
Gave me advice/instructions | 51.7 | 83.6 | 61.0 | 51.5 | 67.3 | 59.4 | 18.4 | 33.3 | 19.0 |
Gave me fluids to drink | 52.9 | 44.0 | 50.3 | 12.3 | 6.3 | 9.3 | 81.6 | 41.7 | 80.2 |
Gave me food to eat | 23.6 | 9.7 | 19.5 | 6.4 | 2.3 | 4.7 | 90.0 | 50.0 | 88.6 |
Helped care for the baby | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 64.4 | 41.7 | 63.6 |
Helped me change position | 6.7 | 17.2 | 9.8 | 5.9 | 19.0 | 12.5 | 6.0 | 0.0 | 5.8 |
Helped me walk around | 23.9 | 30.6 | 25.8 | 5.4 | 6.8 | 6.1 | 6.7 | 8.3 | 6.7 |
Helped the staff | 12.5 | 20.2 | 14.8 | 37.3 | 33.2 | 35.2 | 1.8 | 8.3 | 2.0 |
Other (help bathing, etc.) | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 8.5 |
Rubbed my back | 7.0 | 14.2 | 9.1 | 28.4 | 38.1 | 14.2 | 1.2 | 8.3 | 1.5 |
Stayed by my side for majority of time | 33.3 | 67.9 | 43.4 | 38.2 | 59.0 | 48.7 | 35.4 | 50.0 | 35.9 |
Supported breastfeeding | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 21.2 | 16.7 | 21.0 |