“I feel many contradictory emotions”: Finnish mothers' discursive struggles with motherhood

Objective The aim of the study was to facilitate understanding and interpretation multiple aspects working with mothers by examining Finnish mothers' mothering discourses interplay among these discourses. Background According relational dialectics theory, are systems meaning that coproduced in interaction. Although discursive research on motherhood has identified various discourses, competing is its infancy. Method Qualitative questionnaire data from 479 infants were analyzed using contrapuntal analysis. Mothers' responses three open-ended questions inductively. Emerging themes so as represent different power struggle addressed. Results Four identified. In Equality discourse, parenting presented ideally shared between co-parents, equality family members forms promoted. Familistic traditional stay-at-home mothering, good housekeeping, unity emphasized. Intensive Mothering importance mother her child highlighted. Balance needs all equally important, flexibility choices results demonstrated struggles within answers, suggesting contemporary a contested terrain ideologies. Conclusion findings suggest multivocal often competing. contribute current ideologies provide new insights be utilized counseling clinical practice.