The Meaning and Lived Experience of Coping

Abstract

According to the mothers, coping equates with feeling a sense of control . Feeling in control is like being on auto-pilot and getting things done. Mothers can cope to different degrees or levels. However, mothers are more aware of the times when they feel they’re coping at lower levels. The main aspects of their everyday life they cope with on a daily basis include the pressure of having to appear as coping, the drastic change in lifestyle after having a baby, and that the fact mothering is simply a difficult role with lots of challenges and obligations.

Coping is just being able to keep going day-to-day and keep looking after them without falling to pieces, which sometimes can be really difficult. I was just really, really tired, and you just have to keep going because they don’t stop, so you just keep going. (Wendy)