LOOKING ON THE INSIDE: PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL’S MATERNITY WARDS, THE BAHAMAS

In The Bahamas, the Princess Margaret Hospital is one of the main public facilities used to deliver babies. The hospital is divided into two maternity wards, public and private. This thesis aims to analyze the narratives of mothers’ experiences who have given birth in the hospital. Also, this thesis examines the difference in treatment between mothers’ first, second and third births. The data suggest that the way mothers were treated is based on their age and relationship status during delivery. Notably, mothers on the private ward had the advantage of a family member to witness the delivery pre-COVID, while mothers on the public ward did not experience this privilege. Mothers’ first, second and third birth experiences showed differences based on their increased knowledge of delivery. However, both wards were associated with common issues related to hospital resources, doctor-patient relationships, communication, and perceptions of treatment.