Meaning Of Motherhood Research Articles

Commentary on Verna Vazquez-Diaz de Leon “The Interactive Role of Music as a Facilitator for Mother–Infant Bonding in Early Motherhood”

The following is a commentary on Vazquez’ two-part study of mothers’ everyday uses of music and their relationships to the quality of mother-child interaction and bonding. The commentary considers how Vazquez’ findings are linked to the experiences and meanings of motherhood in modern times, including the stressors and pressures that many women experience as they begin their journeys as new mothers. The commentary presents three main points: the necessity to listen to maternal voices, the need to diversify study samples, and the recognition that mothers are a diverse group.

‘What’s a D and C between friends?’ Space, intimacy and the medicalisation of unmotherhood in modernist literature

This essay theorises what ‘unmotherhood’—or, living outside of motherhood—means within the specific context of ‘the modern’. Unmotherhood is an actively constructed state; it is explored through the parameters of agentive...

The Meaning of Motherhood: Perception of Mothers Living with HIV in Southern Thailand

Introduction: Women should have their rights to become mothers regardless of their health conditions. The literature suggests that HIV-positive mothers want to become a mother but encounter many difficulties. However, little is known about the meaning of motherhood among southern Thai women living with HIV. This paper explores the perception of motherhood among these mothers. Methods: Semi-structured in-depth interviewing and drawing methods were combined to collect data from 30 HIV-positive mothers. Thematic method was employed to analyse the data. Results: Three themes were constructed from data analysis: 1) meaning of motherhood and desire to have children, 2) what makes women to be more confidence to have more children, and 3) the importance of children: A social capital value. Motherhood was perceived as an important role in producing children for the future of society and they desired to have children because becoming a mother signified their womanhood. Having a child could fulfill their married life as the child would nourish their relationship as a couple and provide social support for them. They were confident that their children would have high chance of survival rate because of the advanced modern medical care they had access to. Mothers strictly followed the advice and kept appointments to help reduce the chance of HIV transmission to babies. Conclusion: Children were seen as social capital to HIV-positive mothers and thus had a special meaning to them. However, the desire and the rights to become a mother among Thai HIV-positive mothers were common and deserved greater attention.

The Ambivalence of Mother Love: Navigating Maternal Subjects Through the TV Drama A Love for Dilemma

The TV drama A Love for Dilemma (2021) has sparked widespread debates on motherhood and gender in China. This article explores the intricacy of the show’s representation of “bad mother.” While conventional perspectives often view motherhood as a realm of private intimacy, insufficient attention has been given to the distinctiveness of Chinese-style motherhood and its intersection with family, neoliberalism, and state politics. This article addresses the importance of analyzing the televisual representation of motherhood to gain insight into how the interplay between patriarchy, the market and the state configures maternal subjectivity, particularly under the leadership of Xi Jinping. By examining the emotional meaning of motherhood produced by the TV series, this study unveils the inherent contradiction of mother love as a site of political investment. It argues that the ambivalence surrounding mother love stems from its entanglement with patriarchal expectations, the burdens of emotional labor, and the state’s vested interests.

Policing Motherhood, Controlling Families: Race, Reproductive Governance, and Trans Women’s Parenting Rights

Transgender people face multiple challenges to securing and maintaining parenting rights, yet most studies on trans parenthood focus exclusively on trans masculine people’s experiences and feature majority white samples. To address gendered and racialized gaps in knowledge, I conducted 54 semi-structured interviews with trans women in the United States, who parent or wish to parent, across race and class backgrounds. Using the intersectional frameworks of racialized transmisogyny and reproductive governance, I examine the barriers to parenting rights that trans women encounter in adoption and custody disputes. I find that judges and case workers use racist and anti-trans stereotypes when evaluating “parental fitness,” which (1) institutionalizes racialized transmisogyny in the law, (2) increases the regulatory power of legal institutions, and (3) reinforces dominant mothering ideologies. I also discuss how everyday people (i.e., partners and family members) co-construct the legal and symbolic meaning of motherhood, illustrating the centrality of trans reproduction to the policing of trans and other minoritized communities.

Expanding understanding of elite athlete parenthood in socio-cultural context: a meta-synthesis of qualitative media research findings on motherhood and sport

As athlete mothers continue with sport careers and gain visibility in the media, scholars have explored media representations of high profile athlete mothers in discourses, from several disciplinary perspectives. This paper focuses on synthesizing these multi-disciplinary qualitative media research findings, to gain understanding of key themes that form complex socio-cultural meanings of motherhood and elite sport. Fifteen qualitative media studies were selected for inclusion in this meta-synthesis after searching eight electronic databases. Our descriptive synthesis of multi-disciplinary literature is presented through three themes: (a) (in)compatibility between athlete and mother identities, (b) motherhood as an individual responsibility, and (c) controlling the body. These findings were further synthesized into two new narrative themes: (a) entitlement to impose and (b) maternal activism and new ethic of care. Future research recommendations include expanding descriptive themes and new narratives through investigating additional mainstream and digital media forms, sport contexts, and intersectional identities.

Construcción de significados frente al cuidado en familias monoparentales con jefatura femenina: política pública en familia

The general objective of this project was to understand the processes of care in single-parent families headed by women in Bogotá, from interactional, contextual and narrative readings, in conjunction with the Public Policy for families in Bogotá, that favors the construction of meanings and interactions generating well-being for its members. It was based on a qualitative methodology with phenomenological design since it sought to know the meanings and personal experience of each family around care and public family policies, from its subjectivity. Similarly, it is framed from the research/intervention model. Three single-parent families headed by women participated in an active process in the SAP Psychological Care Service of the Santo Tomás University. Three group and individual meetings were held based on previously established methodological designs. An analysis was performed with the help of atlas.it software. It is noted that there is recursion of personal care and care with the other, understanding the co-responsibility among members; In addition, the development of care tasks in everyday family life are the most frequent expressions and tend to be linked to the meanings of motherhood; likewise, in mothers there is an overload of linking functions and roles in different contexts.

Contesting the boundaries of marianismo and entrepreneurial identity: meanings of motherhood amongst Latin American migrant women entrepreneurs

PurposeTo critically analyse how Latin American migrant women entrepreneurs living in Ireland and the UK negotiate their entrepreneurial and motherhood identities in transnational settings. The paper explores (1) how motherhood influences the choices of becoming entrepreneurs; (2) how women reconcile the social imaginaries of motherhood from their country of origin in the new contexts of settlement; and (3) the impact of these transformations on their businesses.Design/methodology/approachThis paper draws on six biographical case studies (three in Ireland and three in the UK) and employs the theoretical lens of translocational positionality to analyse entrepreneurship as context-specific and relational processes that bring together a multiplicity of social and geographical locales.FindingsLatin American women entrepreneurs navigate their roles as “good mothers” and “good businesswomen” by simultaneously (1) complying with core values of marianismo that confine them to traditional gender roles and (2) renegotiating these values in ways that empower them through entrepreneurship. Finally, juxtaposing these two contexts (Ireland and the UK), this study (3) illuminates the similarities of the ever-continuing gender power struggles of egalitarianism for Latin American migrant women in both contexts.Originality/valueDespite the agreed need for exploring motherhood as one of the critical aspects shaping family and business cycles, this area needs to be sufficiently analysed in its intersection with ethnicity or migratory status, particularly with participants from the global South. This article aims at bridging that gap.

"Mi Corazón se Partió en Dos": Transnational Motherhood at the Intersection of Migration and Violence.

In the recent Central American migrations spurred by violence, political instability, and economic insecurity, women grapple with whether and when to bring their children with them in pursuit of safety in another country, and with fulfilling their roles as mothers from afar. Drawing from the transnational motherhood literature and critical feminist theories, this interpretive qualitative study examined transnational motherhood grounded in the lived experiences of Central American women (n = 19) over the course of their migrations to the US. Informed by the principles of grounded theory, the inductive analysis identified five processes in which migration and violence shaped meanings of motherhood: risking everything, embodying separation, braving reunification, mothering others, and experiencing motherhood due to sexual violence. The findings contribute knowledge of how violence shapes and informs women’s migrations and decision-making, and the consequences women endure in taking action to mitigate threats of violence in their own and their children’s lives. The analysis furthermore highlights the specific and profound effects of family separation on mothers. The voices, perspectives, and experiences of migrating mothers and the ways in which migration and violence shapes notions and lived experiences of motherhood are imperative to research, practice, and advocacy to change oppressive immigration policies.

The social and cultural consequences of infertility in rural and peri-urban Malawi.

Relatively little is known about infertility experiences among women in rural Malawi and the impact of infertility on women's marital and family relations. This article examines the perspectives of women and health care providers regarding women's concepts of reproductive health and attitudes toward infertility. The paper explores the supports and barriers to managing infertility at the individual, household, and community levels. The data presented was drawn from semi-structured interviews with health care providers and patients within a prevention of mother to child transmission program and focus group discussions with community men and women in four communities in Southern Malawi. Seventy-eight patients, 12 health care providers, and 32 community leaders participated in the study. The findings suggest that gender inequities and kinship relations intersect to produce infertility related stigma which exacerbates the social and cultural consequences of being infertile in these study communities. Social support from other women experiencing infertility is one strategy to help women manage the social and cultural burden of infertility in these study communities. These results shed light on the meaning of motherhood to women living in rural and peri-urban Sub-Saharan African communities and call for an expansion of infertility services, social services, and mental health services for both women and men who experience infertility.

The Tyrannical Mother in Mexican Telenovelas

Motherhood is an identity category that carries considerable weight in Mexican society and cultural expressions. The cult of motherhood means that a woman and her worth are often measured by her relationship to maternity. The closer that she comes to meeting the standards of Marianism (modeled by the figure of the Virgin of Guadalupe), the more likely she is to be seen as a good woman. This trope is a standard feature in telenovelas, where the good woman (la buena) is or longs to be a mother, whereas the bad woman (la mala) rejects maternity. There is another female character, however, who eludes these categories—the tyrannical mother. She is a woman whose controlling, manipulative, and often criminal behavior lands her squarely in the category of la mala. Yet she is not subject to the same terrible fate that befalls the childless mala, often in the form of death, disfigurement, or imprisonment. Here I argue that it is maternity that provides the tyrannical mother protection from the more extreme punishments experienced by childless malas. The examples that I point to are Cuna de lobos (1986, 2019), Soy tu dueña (2010) and Abismo de pasión (2012).

Pregnancy, Motherhood and Partner Support in Visually Impaired Women: A Qualitative Study

Background: This qualitative study aimed to explore the experiences of women with vision impairments regarding the meaning of motherhood and their mothering-related issues and priorities. Methods: In-depth individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted between July and December 2020 with a group of visually impaired mothers residing in Italy. The interviews explored experiences related to pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood; support received from partners, family, and friends; ways of interacting and communicating with the child; and the participants’ sense of personal self-efficacy and self-awareness. Results: Fifteen women participated in this study, ten with a congenital visual impairment and five with an acquired disability. The mean age of the sample was 49 years. The qualitative content analysis of the transcripts of the interviews pointed out four main themes or categories: (1) pregnancy and motherhood experiences, (2) family and social support, (3) relationship and communication with the child, and (4) self-efficacy and self-awareness. Conclusions: This study underlined that mothers with visual impairments show a strong desire to be recognized and accepted as women and mothers by their social environment. Adequate social and family support is associated with a better sense of personal self-efficacy and greater confidence in one’s skills as a mother.

Vignettes of mothering through the pandemic: A gendered perspective of challenges and making meaning of motherhood in India

The current exploratory study endeavoured to understand the lived experiences of Indian mothers with children below the age of 10 during the COVID-19 pandemic through a feminist lens. Vignettes of two mothers from different occupational backgrounds and family units were chosen. Through in-depth interviews, and using a thematic analysis framework, themes of increased household and childcare responsibilities, evolving socio-cultural gender roles, self-compassion, self-care and meaning making emerged from the narratives. Findings indicate heightened inequalities and efforts from spouses to reduce this gap. Mothers responded by choosing a more compassionate approach towards themselves and in their mothering practices and thus making meaning of their experiences through the pandemic. Results indicate a need to establish and enforce stronger policies around recognizing and appreciating unpaid care and domestic work in keeping with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5.

“How Any Woman Does What They Do Is Beyond Comprehension”: Media Representations of Meghan Markle’s Maternity

In 2019–2020, Meghan Markle was one of the most intensely mediated mothers in the anglophone media. This article examines how U.K. and U.S. media representations of Markle negotiate, trouble, challenge, regulate, and reassert the boundaries and meanings of contemporary motherhood. Situating Markle’s mediated representations in the context of the increasing visibility and shifting meanings of motherhood in contemporary culture, and particularly in the context of the growing visibility of voices and accounts of “mothering while Black,” we examine the mediation of Markle’s maternity in three moments: (1) Prince Harry’s announcement of the birth; (2) Markle’s public outing with the baby, her later interview for an ITV documentary, and the lawsuit she filed against the British tabloid Mail on Sunday; and (3) the royal couple’s South Africa tour. We conclude by examining a fourth mediated moment—“Megxit”—and highlight the mediation of Markle’s maternity as a site that might open up a space for rewriting motherhood, and particularly Black motherhood, however limited that space may be.

Structured Teaching Programme Regarding Selected Aspects of Safe Motherhood on Knowledge among Primipara Mothers

Saving mother’s life is a global aim as the health of mothers has long been considered as cornerstone ofpublic health and attention. Safe motherhood means ensuring women receive care they need to be save andhealthy throughout pregnancy, during and after child birth.1Mothers health status during pregnant and after delivery determines health status of the child. Thereforehealth care of the mother and children occupies an important place in our health care system and is anintegrated part of primary health care.2From the above reviews an investigator felt that the nurses are still needed to practice the routine maternal andnew born care and are reluctant to practice anything new. It was educative and evaluative approach with onegroup pre test, post test design. The study was conducted at selected Hospital at Hassan District, Karnataka.The target population was 60 selected by Non Probability purposive sampling tecnique. The method ofdata collection include 30 structured knowledge Questionnaire. The findings are Pre-test knowledge scorewas 34.6% with mean knowledge level 10.38+/- 1.30 and Post-test knowledge score was 82.8% with meanknowledge level 24.83+/- 2.14. The hypothesis has accepted with the calculated paired t-test that wassignificant at the level of (P=0.001). According to the findings of the study statistically significant associationwas present between the level of knowledge gain and age, place of residence and education at the P<0.001.

Making meaning of motherhood: Self and life transitions among African American adolescent mothers.

Although adolescent childbearing is widely viewed as a major social problem, and research suggests that young mothers and their children are at risk for poor economic and academic outcomes, these ideas may be in need of revision. Recent scholarship has pointed out that young mothers have been unfairly blamed and stigmatized for problems that should be attributed to social and economic inequality, racism, and poverty. The present study extends that research by listening to the voices of young mothers. In total, 179 urban African American women were asked at 4, 12, and 24 months after giving birth to describe how their lives had changed since becoming a mother. A team of coders content coded themes with rigorous checks for intercoder reliability. Positive themes were far more prevalent than negative themes. Motherhood was often described as a positive developmental change, providing the young women with a sense of maturity, responsibility, motivation, and commitment to placing the baby's needs ahead of their own. Motherhood was sometimes described as a life-turning point whereby young women turned away from undesirable activities and became focused on school, work, and their family's future. Challenges reflected common stresses of parenting for people of all ages, such as lack of sleep and burden of caregiving, but also limited time to socialize with friends. Findings suggest that although policymakers and professionals view adolescent parenthood as a social ill to be eradicated, for the mothers themselves, the experience is more complex, meaningful, and positive. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Dimensões da escuta na escrita feminista de Esboço, de Rachel Cusk

O artigo analisa o livro Esboço (2019), de Rachel Cusk, a partir da problematização do conceito de escuta. Na obra, uma personagem-narradora é responsável por mediar uma série de conversações, nas quais atua sobretudo por meio de uma escuta crítica, que ultrapassa o terreno do ordinário ao propor uma escavação das trajetórias dos personagens. Essa escuta aproxima-se também da própria prática da escrita, acenando para procedimentos metalinguísticos e tangenciando o posicionamento político-feminista da escritora. Nesse sentido, a escuta constrói diferentes tipos de feminilidade, convocando à discussão de tensões e negociações sobre a outorga da voz e recuperando sentidos da maternidade e da sexualidade relacionados à audição.

Desejo por filhos entre mulheres de alta escolaridade: conflitos, mudanças e permanências

Este trabalho analisa as percepções e os significados da maternidade para um grupo de mulheres de alta escolaridade, casadas ou em união consensual, com no máximo um filho, residentes em um município mineiro de porte médio. Os dados provêm de 16 entrevistas semiestruturadas, realizadas em 2018 no município de Governador Valadares, MG. Os resultados indicam que, embora a maternidade seja um acontecimento desejado e valorizado, a decisão dessas mulheres não é isenta de dúvidas em relação às dificuldades para conciliar um filho com o desejo de liberdade e crescimento profissional. Essas dúvidas decorrem do fato de a maternidade ainda ter um lugar de destaque na vida das mulheres, mesmo entre um grupo de vanguarda, e se tornar mãe permanece tendo um efeito expressivo em suas vidas. Os conflitos gerados pela concomitância entre a permanência do desejo relacionado à maternidade e a emergência de novos projetos individuais apresentados às mulheres desafiam a lógica tradicional que relaciona escolaridade e projetos reprodutivos.

Hail Mary

Through an exploration of the imbricated identities of mother, feminist academic, and Recovering Catholic, the author demonstrates how poetry can be a method of inquiry into the self and the culture(s) that gave birth to it, and a method of meaning making. This autoethnographic essay invites readers to make their own meanings of motherhood through an encounter with poetry. Poetry is used as a way to convey the author’s own experiences of motherhood and mothering within a particular religious and cultural tradition so as to provide some critical perspective on both.

Metáforas de la maternidad en un sistema de atención sanitaria de la infancia en Chile: entre la naturaleza y el capital humano

El artículo presenta resultados parciales de una investigación mayor dirigida a conocer los significados circulantes de la maternidad, la infancia y su cuidado en un sistema de atención sanitaria en Chile. Para lograr este objetivo, se realizó un análisis de metáforas usando el procedimiento de identificación de metáforas (PMI) aplicado a un corpus textual conformado por materiales de lectura producidos y utilizados por el sistema. Los resultados indican que las diferentes formas a través de las cuales se representa el cuerpomaterno, desde objetos inanimados hasta una práctica empresarial, permiten conocer una amplia gama de imaginarios, ambivalencias y demandas que se realizan a las prácticas maternas en el contexto sanitario y que configuran desigualdades de género. Concluimos que la maternidad sigue enclavada en el imaginario de la naturaleza, como una experiencia privada y hermética en la que la figura del binomio madre e hijo/a sigue siendo fundamental para los objetivos sanitarios al que se han sumado nuevas demandas vinculadas a la reproducción del capital humano. Esto bloquea formas alternativas de representar la maternidad, las negociaciones de las identidades maternas, otros deseos que habitan en las mujeres y las posiciones e intereses diferenciales entre niños/as y mujeres.