| Sumario: | Background. The government of Nepal aims to reach millennium development goals 4 and 5 by focusing on the provision of skilled birth attendants (SBAs). This is undertaken by providing two months’ additional training on complicated childbirth to physicians, certified nurses, auxiliary nurse-midwives and degree-trained nurses. However, SBAs are under-utilised, as only 36% of all births are supported by SBAs, while 72% of births take place at home. For the women in Nepal that do access main hospitals with the highest level of maternity care, there are limited descriptions of their experiences of being cared for during birth. Aim. To explore mothers’ experiences of the care received while giving birth in hospital settings in Nepal. Method. An interview study with 10 first-time mothers voluntarily recruited from maternity units in two tertiary-level hospitals was conducted over a four-month period. Ethical approval was obtained from the Nepal Health Research Council. Data were analysed using content analysis. Results. The main category ‘trust in care providers, both relatives and professionals, was fundamental for mothers to feel cared for’ captured the essence of the two categories ‘accountable caring’ and ‘the act of communication’ with, in total, nine sub-categories. Conclusion. For women to experience ‘being cared for’ in birth, they need to be accompanied by relatives and they need to trust those relatives and healthcare providers. This study concludes by arguing that relatives are a valued addition to healthcare providers’ provision of clinical care during birth. Delivery of preparation for birth sessions for both mother and relatives are recommended. Mothers highlighted that more information and some preparation for birth might have reduced their fear.
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