Table 1

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria for primary review	Exclusion criteria for primary review	Additional inclusion/exclusion criteria for the current analysis on family members’ views on routine postnatal care
Studies including healthy women, who were considered to be healthy in the postnatal period, and who have had a healthy newborn as well as fathers, partners and other family members Studies where at least some of the extractable data are women’s, and/or fathers/partners/and other family members own accounts of their views and experiences of the nature of, provision of, and/or seeking of postnatal care after birth, irrespective of parity, mode of birth or place of birth Studies involving postnatal care experiences with or without interaction with the health system (home-based, community-based care, care by family members) Studies from high, middle and low-income countries	Studies reporting on views/experiences of, or access to, maternity services generally with no specific data on postnatal care. Women with known complications/health conditions (eg, depression), or after severe morbidity (eg, near-miss) Services for specific conditions (eg, HIV), or high-risk populations (eg, multiples, preterm, low birth weight, malformations). Specific interventions for a singular condition (eg, breastfeeding support, family planning, mental health) or postnatal education only (eg, parenting education) Studies related to care of postnatal complications or intensive care for women or newborns Mixed-methods studies reporting qualitative data without using a recognised qualitative approach to analysis Case studies, conference abstracts and unpublished PhD or master’s theses Systematic reviews (although reference lists were reviewed)	Inclusion Studies including fathers/partners and other family members’ first-hand accounts (not reported through a third party) Studies focused on fathers/partners and other family members’ views of postnatal care Exclusion Studies focused on populations other than fathers, partners and other family members (eg, non-family community members, providers and traditional birth attendants (TBA) Studies reporting only on experiences of fatherhood rather than experiences of postnatal care

Inclusion criteria for primary review

Exclusion criteria for primary review

Additional inclusion/exclusion criteria for the current analysis on family members’ views on routine postnatal care

Studies including healthy women, who were considered to be healthy in the postnatal period, and who have had a healthy newborn as well as fathers, partners and other family members
Studies where at least some of the extractable data are women’s, and/or fathers/partners/and other family members own accounts of their views and experiences of the nature of, provision of, and/or seeking of postnatal care after birth, irrespective of parity, mode of birth or place of birth
Studies involving postnatal care experiences with or without interaction with the health system (home-based, community-based care, care by family members)
Studies from high, middle and low-income countries

Studies reporting on views/experiences of, or access to, maternity services generally with no specific data on postnatal care.
Women with known complications/health conditions (eg, depression), or after severe morbidity (eg, near-miss)
Services for specific conditions (eg, HIV), or high-risk populations (eg, multiples, preterm, low birth weight, malformations).
Specific interventions for a singular condition (eg, breastfeeding support, family planning, mental health) or postnatal education only (eg, parenting education)
Studies related to care of postnatal complications or intensive care for women or newborns
Mixed-methods studies reporting qualitative data without using a recognised qualitative approach to analysis
Case studies, conference abstracts and unpublished PhD or master’s theses
Systematic reviews (although reference lists were reviewed)

Inclusion

Studies including fathers/partners and other family members’ first-hand accounts (not reported through a third party)
Studies focused on fathers/partners and other family members’ views of postnatal care

Exclusion

Studies focused on populations other than fathers, partners and other family members (eg, non-family community members, providers and traditional birth attendants (TBA)
Studies reporting only on experiences of fatherhood rather than experiences of postnatal care