Walking Beside Her After Birth: Acehnese Husbands’ Experiences of Supporting Wives in the Postpartum Period

Postpartum depression has a substantial impact on maternal mental health; yet, the role of husbands in helping women during the postpartum period is underexplored, particularly in traditional cultural settings. This qualitative study investigated Acehnese husbands' experiences helping their wives throughout the 40-day postpartum (nifas) period. Four husbands who actively cared for their postpartum wives were selected from Aceh, Indonesia. In-depth interviews were performed online via Zoom and WhatsApp (30-60 minutes each), taking into account Aceh's Islamic sharia standards. The data was examined using Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic approach. Three fundamental ideas emerged: 1) Recognize the wife's postpartum vulnerability, 2) Providing support, and (3) Negotiating tradition, religion, and current health understanding. Husbands noted physical weariness, emotional vulnerability, and social adaptations in their wives. They displayed care by providing physical aid, emotional support, and adhering to traditional Acehnese postpartum practices, all while incorporating current medical knowledge. Religious and cultural values have a considerable impact on their caring techniques. This study emphasizes the importance of husbands in postpartum care and advocates for culturally responsive approaches that include husbands in maternal mental health programs. The findings help to explain male engagement in postpartum care within Islamic cultural contexts.