A phenomenological exploration of parenting after birth trauma: Mothers perceptions of the first year.
Adult
Anxiety
/ psychology
Emotions
Female
Humans
Infant
Interviews as Topic
Mother-Child Relations
/ psychology
Mothers
/ psychology
Object Attachment
Parenting
/ psychology
Parturition
Perception
Postpartum Period
Pregnancy
Qualitative Research
Self Efficacy
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
/ psychology
Attachment
Birth trauma
Mothering
Mothers
Parenting
Post-Traumatic stress disorder
Self-Efficacy
Journal
Women and birth : journal of the Australian College of Midwives
ISSN: 1878-1799
Titre abrégé: Women Birth
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 101266131
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
May 2021
May 2021
Historique:
received:
19
11
2019
revised:
05
03
2020
accepted:
06
03
2020
pubmed:
19
4
2020
medline:
1
5
2021
entrez:
19
4
2020
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
While perinatal mental health issues are considered to have an impact on a mother's parenting capacity, there is limited research exploring mothers' perceptions of their relationship with their child following traumatic birth experiences and how these might affect their parenting capacity. Birth trauma is a well-recognised phenomenon which may result in ongoing physical and perinatal mental health difficulties for women. This may impact on their attachment to their children, their parenting capabilities, and their self-identity as mothers. To explore maternal self-perceptions of bonding with their infants and parenting experiences following birth trauma. In-depth interviews with ten mothers were undertaken using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis methodology. Women who experienced birth trauma often described disconnection to their infants and lacking confidence in their parental decision making. Many perceived themselves as being 'not good enough' mothers. For some women the trauma resulted in memory gaps of the immediate post-partum period which they found distressing, or physical recovery was so overwhelming that it impacted their capabilities to parent the way they had imagined they would. Some women developed health anxiety which resulted in an isolating experience of early parenthood. Women who have suffered birth trauma may be at risk of increased fear and anxiety around their child's health and their parenting abilities. Some women may experience this as feeling a lower emotional attachment to their infant. Women who experience birth trauma should be offered support during early parenting. Mother-Infant relationships often improve after the first year.
Sections du résumé
PROBLEM
OBJECTIVE
While perinatal mental health issues are considered to have an impact on a mother's parenting capacity, there is limited research exploring mothers' perceptions of their relationship with their child following traumatic birth experiences and how these might affect their parenting capacity.
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Birth trauma is a well-recognised phenomenon which may result in ongoing physical and perinatal mental health difficulties for women. This may impact on their attachment to their children, their parenting capabilities, and their self-identity as mothers.
AIMS
OBJECTIVE
To explore maternal self-perceptions of bonding with their infants and parenting experiences following birth trauma.
METHODS
METHODS
In-depth interviews with ten mothers were undertaken using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis methodology.
FINDINGS
RESULTS
Women who experienced birth trauma often described disconnection to their infants and lacking confidence in their parental decision making. Many perceived themselves as being 'not good enough' mothers. For some women the trauma resulted in memory gaps of the immediate post-partum period which they found distressing, or physical recovery was so overwhelming that it impacted their capabilities to parent the way they had imagined they would. Some women developed health anxiety which resulted in an isolating experience of early parenthood.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
Women who have suffered birth trauma may be at risk of increased fear and anxiety around their child's health and their parenting abilities. Some women may experience this as feeling a lower emotional attachment to their infant. Women who experience birth trauma should be offered support during early parenting. Mother-Infant relationships often improve after the first year.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32303461
pii: S1871-5192(19)31094-7
doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2020.03.004
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
278-287Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2020 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.