Transforming Possibilities of Care?: Goan migrant motherhood in New Zealand
Ruth DeSouza
Centre for Asian & Migrant Health Research
National Institute of Public & Mental Health, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
PP: 87
Abstract
Little is known about the maternity experiences of migrant mothers in Aotearoa / New Zealand - and in particular the ways in which women adapt and survive when separated from traditional postnatal practices and family support.
This paper reports on a study of the maternity care experiences of women from Goa (India) in Auckland, New Zealand. Multiple research strategies were incorporated into the process to prevent reproduction of deficiency discourses. Interviews were carried out with Goan women who had experiences of migration and motherhood.
The findings revealed that as a consequence of motherhood and migration, migrant mothers were able to reclaim and re-invent innovative solutions. Nurses and other health professionals can have a significant role in supporting women and their families undergoing the transition to parenthood in a new country and develop their knowledge and understanding of this dual transition.
Keywords
maternity, migration, Goan women, discourses, qualitative research, postcolonial feminist
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