Childbearing - Qualitative Research Network (BfiN) is an international research network which aims to promote and develop international cooperation in the field of qualitative childbearing research.
Since its initiation in 2002 as a Nordic network, it has developed into an international research network uniting more than 90 researchers and doctoral students from 9 countries.
About the network
The primary aim of the network is to promote international research collaboration towards excellence in childbearing research.
The increasing trend of applying risk perspectives to life world phenomena challenges the researchers in the network to ask ethical and critical questions in humanistic collaborative research and pursue a collaborative critical doctoral and postdoctoral education.
It is important that our research have an impact on the quality of care of the unique family in childbearing. Therefore, we need to identify and gather resources to make international qualitative childbearing research programs possible and to increase publications within the field.
High priorities for the network are research mobility, research education and supervision in qualitative research by organizing research seminars, workshops, research courses and conferences open for early stage, postdoctoral, and experienced researchers.
Upcoming research seminars
Membership
Researchers, doctoral students and master students in the field of qualitative research in childbearing may apply for membership (free of charge).
Invitation to research course
Research course autumn 2025, organized by University of Stavanger.
‘Metasynthesis - Research Course in Advanced Qualitative Methods’: September 25 - 26 (online) and december 9-11 (face to face.
Research interests
The network promotes the usage of qualitative research findings for the development of an evidence and life-world based care as well as health and social care policies that benefit the childbearing families.
Our research interests include:
- Women’s and men’s reproductive health, illness and suffering as lived experiences
- Promoting new parenthood and parental education from parent and caregiver perspectives
- Antenatal, birth and postpartum care and identification of caring needs, wishes and experiences
- Care of the newborn and small child
- Health information in childbearing
- Childbearing professions and organizational cultures
- Meta-questions in qualitative childbearing research
Research seminar 2025
Save the date! The Childbearing – Qualitative research network (BfiN) research seminar and workshop on childbearing 19. – 20.3.2025 in Helsinki, Finland
The 18th international seminar and research workshop will be held at Arcada University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki. The seminar is open to researchers and doctoral candidates.
Theme: Supporting childbearing families – International qualitative research seminar
Venue: Arcada University of Applied Sciences (Address: Jan-Magnus Janssonin aukio 1, 00560 Helsinki)
Programme
Please visit this link to see the full programme.
Call for abstracts
Submit an abstract of a maximum of 250 words and indicate if you prefer an oral or poster presentation. Please, send the abstract to johanna.sarlio-nieminen@helsinki.fi.
- Abstracts must be submitted no later than 30th October 2024.
- The scientific leader team will review the abstracts. The authors will be informed of acceptance by the end of November 2024.
- There is no fee for the seminar. The only requirement is the membership of Bfin-network. You can apply the membership at our webpage.
Organizing committee – Finland:
- Minna Sorsa, Chair, Tampere University
- Tiina Murto, Turku University of Applied Sciences
- Johanna Sarlio-Nieminen, University of Helsinki
If you have any questions about the research seminar, please contact johanna.sarlio-nieminen@helsinki.fi.
Research seminar 2024
The Childbearing – Qualitative research network (BfiN) research seminar and workshop on childbearing was held March 12-13, 2024 at the University of South-Eastern Norway.
The 17th international seminar and research workshop will be held at the University of South-Eastern Norway. The seminar is open to researchers and doctoral candidates.
Keynote speakers:
- Mental ill health or/and substance use during pregnancy -implications for early interventions, Dr. Minna Sorsa, Postdoctoral researcher, Tampere University/ Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Finland
- The Significance of Empathy within Phenomenological Research Processes, Dr. Idun Røseth, Senior Researcher, Telemark Hospital Trust, Department of child and adolescent mental health, Norway
- A dialogue on the use of qualitative metasynthesis and metaethnography in childbearing research, Prof. Terese Bondas & Prof. Bente Dahl, University of Stavanger, University of South-Eastern Norway
Registration
Seminar participation is free of charge. Deadline for registration is January 15th.
Please send an e-mail confirming your participation to Professor Bente Dahl: bente.dahl@usn.no
Contact information
For further information, please contact:
- Prof. Terese Bondas, University of Stavanger. terese.e.bondas@uis.no
- Prof. Bente Dahl, University of South-Eastern Norway: bente.dahl@usn.no
Collaborators include University of Stavanger, University of South-Eastern Norway (Centre for Women’s, Family and Child Health), University of A Coruna (Grincar), Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and Telemark Hospital Trust (Psykisk Helse).
Research seminar 2022
Childbearing – Qualitative research network (BfiN) hosted a research seminar and workshop on childbearing September 26-17, 2022 at University of A Coruña, Spain.
The 16th international seminar and research workshop was held at the Faculty of Nursing and Podiatry at University of A Coruña.
Participation: First come, first served, priority for childbearing network members (BfiN and WoMBH-net).
Parents' and professionals' perspectives in childbearing and neonatal care - promoting health in a collaborative and intercultural scenery were the subjects of this seminar.
Find the proceedings of the 16th international research seminar and workshop 2022 here.
Keynote speakers
- Liv Fegran, Professor University of Agder, Norway
- Bente Dahl, Associate Professor University of South Eastern Norway
Collaboration partners
The research seminar and workshop is organized by Childbearing – the qualitative research network (BfiN) and the Network for Women’s Health in Childbearing, with the focus on Migrants and Minorities, WoMBH-net. It is a collaboration between the Faculty of Health Sciences at University of Stavanger, University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), University of Agder, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Finland and the research group GRINCAR-LICcs at University of A Coruña, Spain.
Contact
For further information, please contact:
- Terese Bondas, University of Stavanger
- Maria Jesus Movilla, University of A Coruña
Contact
The University of South-Eastern Norway
Linda Wike Ljungblad, llj@usn.no
University of A Coruña
Sara Fernández Basanta, sara.fbasanta@udc.es
María Jesús Movilla Fernández, maria.jesus.movilla@udc.es
University College of Turku
Tiina Murto, Tiina.Murto@turkuamk.fi
University of Eastern Finland
Dorcas Ofosu-Budu, dorcasof@student.uef.fi
Helsinki University
Johanna Sarlio-Nieminen, johanna.sarlio-nieminen@helsinki.fi
Tampere University
Minna Sorsa, minna.sorsa@tuni.fi
University of Borås
Helena Nilvér, helena.nilver@hb.se
Lina Palmer, Lina.Palmer@hb.se