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triangulation. Three main themes emerged from women’s accounts:
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relation to breastfeeding. In the women’s accounts, feelings of little
control were related to inadequate information provision, poor communication,
and no opportunity to influence decision making. These, together with the
negative attitudes and behaviours of maternity staff, and issues of
under-resourcing, were often linked to negative feelings such as fear, anger,
disappointment, distress, guilt, and inadequacy. These findings illustrate the
importance of maternity care staff recognizing women’s psychological
and emotional needs during the childbirth process, and the impact that they
themselves may have on women’s experiences. These issues are discussed
with reference to the wider debate on authority and power within the medical
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