Maternal Feelings Research Articles

Shadow Maternal Subjectivities

Shadow maternal subjectivities manifest in complexes deadly for children, but are born of trauma and patriarchal oppression of mothers. If maternal subjectivity is the Self that is informed by the psychological and physical experiences of giving and nurturing the life of a child, and shadow is a Jungian concept that refers to the unconscious aspect of the personality that contains all the elements of ourselves that we deny, repress, or disown, shadow maternal subjectivity is the destructive life-taking energies of a mother. These shadow subjectivities at times come alive in complexes. Complexes, another concept developed by Carl Jung, are unconscious emotionally charged and organized sets of memories, fantasies, and behavior patterns constellated around a core element. Enough stress can manifest a shadow mother complex, when maternal shadow energies fuel a complex that overwhelms consciousness and causes mothers to act out in their relationships with her children. There are several ways shadow maternal complexes manifest, such as the vampire mother, the depressed/addicted mother, the puella aeterna mother, the Aphrodite mother, the Munchausen by proxy mother, and the devouring mother. This paper explores these complexes and how a patriarchal idealization of motherhood precludes mothers from admitting their own finitude or any negative maternal feelings. At times these repressed negative feelings, or shadow subjectivities, become destructive, sometimes fatally. What is required is a greater range of acceptance of maternal subjectivity.

Effects of mother-infant skin-to-skin contact on mother-infant relationship and maternal psychology feelings: A qualitative study.

To explore the effects of mother-infant skin-to-skin contact on mother-infant relationship and maternal psychology feelings. An exploratory qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews. A total of 64 mother-infant pairs who met the inclusion criteria were selected as the experimental subjects to receive early and continuous intervention of mother-infant skin-to-skin contact (SSC). On this basis, the qualitative research method of procedural grounded theory was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with 18 puerperas before discharge from the hospital; the three-level coding method of procedural grounded theory and Graneheim & Lundman qualitative content analysis method were combined to conductinterview content analysis in Nvivo 12 software, so as to extractcore categories and condense the theme. (1) The data were coded to extract five core categories, namely, birth experience, role transition, contact perception, mother-infant connection and parental efficacy; (2) there were statistically significant differences in the number of coding reference points in five nodes before and after SSC, that is, mothers' positive feelings, newborns' physical characteristics noticed by their mothers, mother-infant connection, role transition and birth experience. The number of coding reference points after SSC was statistically significant greater than before SSC; (3) The coding interview results showed that SSC could promote the sense of happiness in nurturing.

Parental Stress and Quality of Life in Parents of Young Children with Autism

AbstractParents of children with ASD are at risk for chronic stress due to challenging parenting. It is unknown whether stress is already present in early parenthood, similar for mothers and fathers and if this impacts quality of life (QoL). Parental stress and QoL were assessed in 56 mothers and 51 fathers of young children (aged 3 to 7) with autism. Associations between parental stress (OBVL) and QoL (WHOQoL-BREF) were examined. Parents of young children with ASD appear to have high parental stress from conflicting feelings towards their child and from difficulties with parenting. Mothers have higher stress from feeling confined in their motherly role than fathers compared to the OBVL norm population. Both mothers and fathers have a low QoL. Increased maternal conflicting feelings towards the child associated with lower psychological QoL, while high maternal feelings of role confinement associated with low physical QoL. Increased paternal conflicting feelings towards their child related to lower physical and social QoL, while fathers with more parenting difficulties reported less satisfaction with their psychological and environmental wellbeing. Thus, already at young age, parenting children with ASD is a major challenge for both mothers and fathers.

Human placental lactogen (human chorionic somatomammotropin) and oxytocin during pregnancy: Individual patterns and associations with maternal-fetal attachment, anxiety, and depression

Previous studies support links among maternal-fetal attachment, psychological symptoms, and hormones during pregnancy and the post-partum period. Other studies connect maternal feelings and behaviors to oxytocin and suggest that an increase in oxytocin during pregnancy may prime maternal-fetal attachment. To date, researchers have not examined a possible association between maternal-fetal attachment with human placental lactogen although animal models are suggestive. In the current study, we sought to describe oxytocin and human placental lactogen levels as related to psychological constructs across pregnancy. Seventy women participated in the study. At each of three time-points (early, mid, and late pregnancy), the women had their blood drawn to assess oxytocin and human placental lactogen levels, and they completed psychological assessments measuring maternal-fetal attachment, anxiety, and depression. Our results indicate that oxytocin levels were statistically similar across pregnancy, but that human placental lactogen significantly increased across pregnancy. Results did not indicate significant associations of within-person (comparing individuals to themselves) oxytocin or human placental lactogen levels with maternal-fetal attachment. Additionally, results did not show between-person (comparing individuals to other individuals) oxytocin or human placental lactogen levels with maternal-fetal attachment. Oxytocin levels were not associated with anxiety; rather the stage of pregnancy moderated the effect of the within-person OT level on depression. Notably, increasing levels of human placental lactogen were significantly associated with increasing levels of both anxiety and depression in between subject analyses. The current study is important because it describes typical hormonal and maternal fetal attachment levels during each stage of pregnancy, and because it suggests an association between human placental lactogen and psychological symptoms during pregnancy. Future research should further elucidate these relationships.

Association between maternal dissatisfaction with oneself at birth and shaking and smothering toward the offspring up to 18 months old

BackgroundA mother who feels dissatisfaction with herself may resort to abusive behavior such as shaking or smothering toward their offspring. Understanding this association can inform effective prevention strategies. ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the associations between maternal feelings of dissatisfaction with oneself and infant physical abuse. Participants and settingThe study included 434 mothers who had recently given birth in two obstetric wards in a relatively wealthy area in Tokyo, Japan. MethodsAdopting a longitudinal design, the study used questionnaires post-childbirth to measure mothers' dissatisfaction with themselves. This involved evaluating perceptions of failing to meet personal standards or self-image. Physical abuse (specifically shaking or smothering) in infants was tracked at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months. Data analysis comprised multilevel analysis, group-based trajectory modeling, and multivariable logistic regression to explore the association between maternal dissatisfaction and child physical abuse. ResultsMultilevel analysis showed that mothers with middle or high dissatisfaction with themselves were more likely to abuse their infant compared to mothers with low dissatisfaction with themselves (adjusted odds ratios [aOR] 5.71, 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.06–30.78 and aOR 12.47, 95 % CI: 2.11–73.69, respectively). Trajectory analyses indicated that mothers with middle or high dissatisfaction with themselves were consistently more likely to abuse their infants up to 18 months (aOR 8.08, 95 % CI 1.61–40.53 and aOR 6.42, 95 % CI 1.27–32.43, respectively). ConclusionsOur findings highlight a robust association between mother's dissatisfaction with themselves and a higher risk of infant physical abuse. These insights call for a comprehensive review of preventive measures for childhood physical abuse.

Sestina Obbligato, and: After Rain

Abstract: “Sestina Obbligato” breaks the sestina form into a series of linked stories, each tying back to themes of music, physical contact, obligation, and a complicated relationship with a mother figure. In “After Rain,” the speaker finds it easier to deal with the discomforts of the body than to address the discomforts truly keeping her awake at night, specifically the absence of maternal feelings within herself.

Pregnant Prisoners in Shackles

Pregnant Prisoners in Shackles

Body perception in pregnant women: a qualitative study

BackgroundDramatic body changes in pregnancy cause severe concerns among pregnant women about their appearance. Therefore, this study aimed to explore body perception in pregnant women.Materials and methodsThe qualitative study, using the conventional content analysis approach, was conducted on Iranian pregnant women who were in their second or third trimester of pregnancy. Participants were selected through purposeful sampling method. In-depth and semi-structured interviews were held with 18 pregnant women aged 22 to 36 years, using open-ended questions. Sampling was performed until data saturation was reached.ResultsThree main categories were extracted from 18 interviews: (1) “symbols,” with two subcategories, including ‘motherhood’ and ‘vulnerability,’ (2) “feelings toward body changes,” with five subcategories, including ‘negative feelings toward skin changes,’ ‘feeling unfit,’ ‘attention-drawing body shape,’ ‘the ridiculous body shape’ and ‘obesity,’ and (3) “attraction and beauty,” with two subcategories, including ‘sexual attraction’ and ‘facial beauty.’ConclusionThe results showed that pregnant women’s body perception could be described as maternal feelings and feminine attitudes toward changes during pregnancy compared to mental ideals of facial and body beauty. It is recommended that Iranian women’s body perception during pregnancy be evaluated using this study results and that counseling interventions be implemented for women with negative body perceptions.

Analyzing the relationship between feelings about pregnancy and mother-infant bonding with the onset of maternal psychological distress after childbirth: The Japan Environment and Children's Study

BackgroundStrengthening maternal mental health from early pregnancy is essential. This study investigated the factors affecting the onset of maternal psychological distress at 12 months after childbirth in women who had not experienced it during pregnancy. MethodsFeelings about pregnancy were assessed using a questionnaire in the first trimester, and maternal mental health was assessed using the 6-Item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) in the first and second/third trimesters and at 12 months after childbirth. Mother-infant bonding was assessed using the Japanese version of Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS-J) in the first, sixth, and twelfth months after childbirth. This study comprised 46,053 mothers without psychological distress (K6 ≤ 4) during pregnancy from the 97,415 mothers enrolled in the Japan Environment and Children's Study. ResultsThe onset of psychological distress at 12 months after childbirth was associated with negative maternal feelings about pregnancy, a history of infertility treatment before the current pregnancy, and poor mother-infant bonding after childbirth. Abortion history was not associated with psychological distress. The strongest factor affecting the onset of psychological distress was mother-infant bonding (β = 0.28), and the indirect effect of feelings about pregnancy was also observed (β = 0.10). LimitationsWe used the full version of MIBS-J consisting of 10 items at 12 months after childbirth but included only five items in the first and sixth months. ConclusionsInadequate mother-infant bonding was associated with the onset of maternal psychological distress after childbirth. Supporting mother-infant bonding is critical throughout the perinatal period, considering maternal feelings about pregnancy.

Parental Worry About COVID-19 in Preschool Children's Mothers During the Pandemic Waves: The Role of Maternal Negative Feelings and Parenting Styles.

This cross-sectional study explores the relationship between maternal feelings, maternal parenting styles, and mothers' worry about COVID-19's detrimental consequences on preschool children's health and well-being. The study is among the first to concentrate on this reference specific group, whose characteristics might be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19's adversities. One hundred and four mothers of at least one preschool-age child completed an online questionnaire battery, which included the Parental Feelings Inventory, the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ), and the parental worry about COVID-19 scale. Negative maternal feelings (i.e., anger, anxiety/sadness) were associated with authoritarian and indulgent parenting practices, especially verbal hostility, while maternal happiness was associated with more authoritative practices, especially warmth and support. The hierarchical multiple regression model explained about 42% of variance of the overall maternal worry about COVID-19 from maternal negative feelings and parenting styles, with maternal authoritative parenting and maternal anxiety/sadness as the significant predictors that uniquely explain maternal worry about COVID-19. These results are discussed in terms of positive and negative maternal worry, which partially reflect the differences between overprotective and authoritative parenting in early childhood.

VIVÊNCIAS DAS MÃES DE CRIANÇAS CRÔNICAS DEPENDENTES DE TECNOLOGIAS EM UNIDADE DE TERAPIA INTENSIVA PEDIÁTRICA

ABSTRACT Objective: to describe mothers’ experiences and repercussions of the hospitalization of technology-dependent chronic children in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit on their personal and family life. Method: qualitative study conducted with 11 mothers of technology-dependent chronic children in a public hospital in the Federal District, Brazil. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews, recorded, later transcribed, coded, and subdivided into categories. Thematic content analysis was used as an analysis strategy. Results: were divided into five categories, which express the experiences of prolonged hospitalization, maternal feelings, difficulties/needs, coping strategies, and context of the pandemic, which highlighted the mostly negative repercussions that bring changes in the family dynamics in general, by needing to reinvent themselves and adapt to the conditions of the child and the hospital. Final considerations: the data show family vulnerability and reinforce the importance of nursing work for the adoption of a family-centered care model.

How to promote ‘discipline without tough love’ during pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial

Background: In Japan, the effect of education using the leaflet ‘Discipline Without Tough Love’ on mothers during caring for their infants have been reported. We examined the effect of this education on pregnant Japanese women. Methods: The present study was a prospective investigation of all Japanese women with singleton pregnancies who visited our hospital for a perinatal visit at 20-23 weeks’ gestation between November 2017 and March 2018 and gave birth at ≥ 37 weeks’ gestation at our hospital. We examined the maternal feelings (bonding situation) to babies of women who received the leaflet in comparison with that in women who did not receive it during the health check-up performed routinely at one month after delivery using the Japanese version of the Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale. Results: There were no significant differences in maternal feelings for their babies between the two groups of women. Conclusions: We did not identify any effect of health consultations cased on ‘Discipline Without Tough Love’ during pregnancy on maternal feelings toward babies at one month after delivery. A further study to enlighten pregnant women about parenting without corporal punishment will be needed in Japan. Registration: Japan Registry of Clinical Trials 1030190112; registered on 5 October 2019.

Care in the time of COVID: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the impact of COVID-19 control measures on post-partum mothers' experiences of pregnancy, birth and the health system.

BackgroundFindings suggest pandemic control measures have modified maternal health practices, compromising the quality of care provided to new and expectant mothers and interfering with their birthing experiences. For this reason, this study explored the lived experiences of post-partum Victorian mothers during the pandemic as well as the potential influence of control measures over their perceptions regarding the health system.MethodsThis study used a qualitative approach. Recruitment was conducted between May and June 2021, using both the Australian Breastfeeding Association’s social media pages and snowball recruitment. Interviews were semi-structured using open-ended questions relating to key themes. Seven Victorian post-partum mothers were identified and their transcripts analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.ResultsMothers described how unexpected changes to maternal care exacerbated feelings of uncertainty regarding pregnancy and birth. Mothers also differentiated between impacts by the health system and the role healthcare professionals played in moderating these effects. Whilst visitor restrictions provided some benefit, restrictions to familial and social support left many of the mothers feeling alone during their pregnancy and interfered with their immediate post-partum experience.ConclusionThis study illustrates the importance of evidence-based practice in maternal care and provides insights for both health professionals and policy analysts in developing new or modifying existing guidelines that better balance the needs of expectant and post-partum mothers with pandemic control measures.

Explaining gaps by parental education in children’s early language and social outcomes at age 3–4 years: evidence from harmonised data from three countries

Child outcomes vary by family’s socioeconomic status (SES). Research on explanatory factors underlying early SES-related disparities has mainly focused on specific child outcomes (e.g., language skills) and selected influencing factors in single countries often with a focus on individual differences but not explicitly on early SES-related gaps. This study uses harmonised data from longitudinal large-scale studies conducted in the United Kingdom, United States, and Germany to examine parental education-related gaps in early child language and social skills. Twelve theoretically proposed family-, child-, and childcare-related factors were systematically evaluated as explanatory factors. In all countries, parental education-related gaps were particularly pronounced for early child language compared to social skills. In the decomposition analyses, the home learning environment was the only measure that significantly explained gaps in all child outcomes across all countries. Early centre-based care attendance, family income, and maternal age at childbirth contributed to gaps in child outcomes with the specific pattern of results varying across outcomes and countries. Maternal depressive feelings significantly contributed only to explaining gaps in children’s social skills. Thus, while some mechanisms found to underpin early parental education-related gaps can be generalized from single-country, single-domain studies, others are outcome- and context-specific.

Preventing risk for posttraumatic stress following childbirth: Visual biofeedback during childbirth increases maternal connectedness to her newborn thereby preventing risk for posttraumatic stress following childbirth.

Mounting evidence indicates the detrimental impact of posttraumatic stress following childbirth (PTS-FC). Nevertheless, research on preventive strategies is scarce. We recently reported that ultrasound visual biofeedback during second stage of labor was associated with immediate beneficial medical outcomes (increased pushing efficacy, decreased perineal tearing), as well as greater feelings of maternal connectedness toward her newborn immediately postlabor. The current study assessed the potential longer-term psychological benefits of these outcomes in buffering risk for PTS-FC. The study follows up the previously reported sample to examine the longitudinal clinical effect of the visual biofeedback intervention on symptoms of acute stress at 2 days postpartum and subsequent symptoms of PTS-FC at 1 month postpartum. A sample of 26 nulliparous women received visual biofeedback and was compared to a group of women receiving standard obstetrical coaching. Maternal feelings of connectedness and acute stress symptoms were assessed 2 days postpartum and PTS-FC was assessed 1 month postpartum. Double-mediation analyses revealed a significant indirect relation between visual biofeedback and decreased PTS-FC symptoms 1 month postpartum. The relation was significantly mediated by increased feelings of maternal connectedness immediately postpartum, which in turn was associated with decreased symptoms of acute stress 2 days postpartum. These results suggest that the visual biofeedback intervention during childbirth may decrease risk for PTS-FC. Importantly, findings suggest the preventive potential of fostering feelings of maternal connectedness toward her newborn to reduce symptoms of PTS-FC. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Trajectories and Predictors of Symptoms of Depression in Chinese Women From Early Pregnancy to the Early Postpartum Period

ObjectiveTo explore the trajectories and predictors of symptoms of depression in Chinese women from early pregnancy to 3 months after birth. DesignProspective cohort study. SettingSeveral maternal and child health care institutions and obstetric departments of general hospitals in Beijing, Jiangsu, Hunan, Sichuan, Shandong, Guangdong, and Shanxi provinces in China. ParticipantsChinese women (N = 667) during pregnancy and the postpartum period. MethodsFrom August 2019 to June 2020, participants from several tertiary hospitals in China who completed at least three measurements during early pregnancy to 3 months after birth (from time point 1 to time point 5) were included for data analysis. We used the self-administered basic information questionnaire and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale for follow-up. We used Mplus version 8.3 to construct the growth mixture modeling and SPSS version 25.0 to carry out logistic regression analysis. ResultsWe found three potential trajectories of symptoms of depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period: the down-then-up healthy group (Class 1, 68.5%), steady-growth moderate-risk group (Class 2, 27.5%), and up-then-down high-risk group (Class 3, 4.0%). Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that being pregnant for the first time, being a company employee, being less satisfied with the living environment, and the occurrence of negative life events were significant predictors of the Class 2 trajectory, whereas younger age, being less satisfied with food, and the occurrence of negative life events were predictors of the Class 3 trajectory. ConclusionThe trajectories of symptoms of depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period among Chinese women showed significant group heterogeneity. The trajectory categories were influenced not only by demographics and pregnancy-related factors but also by maternal subjective feelings.

Effect of a carbohydrate-rich beverage on rate of cesarean delivery in primigravidae with epidural labor analgesia: a multicenter randomized trial

BackgroundLabor represents a period of significant physical activity. Inefficient energy supply may delay labor process and even lead to cesarean delivery. Herein we investigated whether ingestion of a carbohydrate-rich beverage could reduce cesarean delivery in laboring women with epidural analgesia.MethodsThis multicenter randomized trial was conducted in obstetrician-led maternity units of nine tertiary hospitals in China. Primigravidae with single term cephalic pregnancy who were preparing for vaginal birth under epidural analgesia were randomized to intake a carbohydrate-rich beverage or commercially available low-carbohydrate beverages during labor. The primary outcome was the rate of cesarean delivery. Secondary outcomes included maternal feeling of hunger, assessed with an 11-point scale where 0 indicated no hunger and 10 the most severe hunger, and maternal and neonatal blood glucose after childbirth.ResultsBetween 17 January 2018 and 20 July 2018, 2008 women were enrolled and randomized, 1953 were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. The rate of cesarean delivery did not differ between the two groups (11.3% [111/982] with carbohydrate-rich beverage vs. 10.9% [106/971] with low-carbohydrate beverages; relative risk 1.04, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.33; p = 0.79). Women in the carbohydrate-rich beverage group had lower subjective hunger score (median 3 [interquartile range 2 to 5] vs. 4 [2 to 6]; median difference − 1; 95% CI − 1 to 0; p < 0.01); their neonates had less hypoglycemia (1.0% [10/968] vs. 2.3% [22/956]; relative risk 0.45; 95% CI 0.21 to 0.94; p = 0.03) when compared with those in the low-carbohydrate beverage group. They also had higher rates of maternal hyperglycemia (6.9% [67/965] vs. 1.9% [18/953]; p < 0.01) and neonatal hyperglycemia (9.2% [89/968] vs. 5.8% [55/956]; p < 0.01), but none required special treatment.ConclusionsFor laboring primigravidae with epidural analgesia, ingestion of a carbohydrate-rich beverage compared with low-carbohydrate beverages did not reduce cesarean delivery, but relieved maternal hunger and reduced neonatal hypoglycemia at the expense of increased hyperglycemia of both mothers and neonates. Optimal rate of carbohydrate supplementation remains to be determined.Trial registrationwww.chictr.org.cn; identifier: ChiCTR-IOR-17011994; registered on 14 July 2017.

Objective and subjective sleep and caregiving feelings in mothers of infants: a longitudinal daily diary study.

This study explored the links between mothers' objective and subjective sleep and their caregiving feelings toward their infant (i.e. patience for the infant, desire to be with the infant, and anger toward the infant), using a diary study design. We were particularly interested in examining whether nights of lower sleep quality within individual mothers predict more negative maternal caregiving feelings the following day. The sample included 151 women, who were recruited during pregnancy. Data were collected at 4 and 8 months after delivery. Maternal sleep was monitored at home for seven nights using actigraphy and sleep diaries. Mothers rated their caregiving feelings each evening. Multilevel modeling (controlling for depressive symptoms, feeding method, and background variables) revealed that actigraphic and subjective sleep variables were associated with maternal caregiving feeling, both at the between- and within-person levels. For example, lower sleep percent predicted reduced levels of maternal patience for the infant at 4 and 8 months (between-person effect). Moreover, when a mother had a lower sleep percent on a given night (compared to her average), she reported lower levels of patience for her infant the following day (within-person prospective effect). The findings demonstrate, for the first time, that maternal nightly variations in objective and subjective sleep quality predict daily changes in maternal feelings toward her infant at two different assessment points. Improving maternal sleep quality might be an important target for future interventions which may help mothers to feel more positively toward their infants.

The effects of COVID-19 restrictions and other perinatal factors on women’s sense of control during childbirth: a prospective cohort study

Background Restrictions around childbirth, introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, could decrease maternal feelings of control during birth. The aim of this study was to compare the sense of control of women who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic with women who gave birth before COVID-19. The secondary objective was to identify other factors independently associated with women’s sense of control during birth. Methods A prospective cohort study, in a sub-cohort of 504 women from a larger cohort (Continuous Care Trial (CCT), n = 992), was conducted. Sense of control was measured by the Labor Agentry Scale (LAS). Perinatal factors independently associated with women’s sense of control during birth were identified using multiple linear regression. Results Giving birth during the COVID-19 pandemic did not influence women’s sense of control during birth. Factors statistically significantly related to women’s sense of control were Dutch ethnic background (β 4.787, 95%-CI 1.319 to 8.254), antenatal worry (β − 4.049, 95%-CI −7.516 to −.581), antenatal anxiety (β − 4.677, 95%-CI −7.751 to 1.603) and analgesics during birth (β − 3.672, 95%-CI −6.269 to −1.075). Conclusions Despite the introduction of restrictions, birth during the COVID-19 pandemic was not associated with a decrease of women’s sense of control.

Insights into fetal death—a patient resource

Evidence supports a role for placental aging in the etiology of the majority of fetal deaths. This knowledge may reduce maternal feelings of guilt following fetal death that frequently exacerbates the distress caused by grief. The accompanying video may be a useful resource for women who have experienced a fetal death.