Women's successful transition to motherhood during the early postnatal period: A qualitative systematic review of postnatal and midwifery home care literature.

Objective: To undertake a systematic review of available qualitative research literature to determine what women need to successfully transition to motherhood during the early postnatal period and whether postnatal home care delivered by midwives supports this process.

Design: The transition from woman to mother is a significant occurrence, one that requires adjustments on physical, psychological and social levels. A qualitative systematic review design was chosen to ensure both humanistic and interactive concepts related to what women need to successfully transition to motherhood during the early postnatal period were identified.