Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, 2006
Objective: To present information about the father ' s perspective during the experience of a pre... more Objective: To present information about the father ' s perspective during the experience of a pregnancy following perinatal loss. Design: Descriptive phenomenology. Setting: Interviews were done in a venue chosen by fathers (home, clinic). Participants: Ten fathers who had experienced a loss within the prior year and were currently with that partner in a subsequent pregnancy. Four themes emerged: Recognition, preoccupation, stoicism, and support. Conclusions: Participants describe the need to be recognized by others. The orderly conduct of their daily lives is disrupted by preoccupation with the pregnancy. They feel unable to share their own anxiety and fear because they want to protect the mothers. Societal pressure to " be strong " and the belief that " men don ' t share " appear to inhibit fathers from getting support. Strategies to assess and support fathers emotionally at the time of loss and in the subsequent pregnancy need to be explored.
ABSTRACT: It has long been accepted that there is a developmental process women progress through ... more ABSTRACT: It has long been accepted that there is a developmental process women progress through during pregnancy as they take on the parenting role. This paper develops a theory of the unborn baby's role during the prenatal period as an active instigator in this parenting role. Referring to the work of Arnold Gesell and adapting it to the prenatal period, the author theorizes that the unborn baby's growth and development drives the developmental process of the parenting role prenatally. Pregnancy is viewed as the beginning of a lifelong process and a unique time when parents are especially open to exploring their changing roles with the baby as an equal contributor. It has long been accepted that women progress through stages of development during pregnancy as they take on the tasks of pregnancy and begin their parenting role (Rubin 1967, Leifer 1977, Cohen 1979). While these stages are elicited by pregnancy, the early-childhood literature also abounds in the belief that the parenting role (i.e., how we perceive our parenting role) is well established in the formative years of our own childhood. Uddenberg (1974) spoke of the earliest socialization for mothering behaviors beginning during the early-childhood years, when one is being mothered as well as observing mothering within the family context. Although Uddenberg spoke of this socialization in terms of the mothers, it is true for fathers as well. A major psychological impact of pregnancy involves the reawakening of unconscious, preverbal issues stemming from the parent's own experience of infancy and toddlerhood. These issues relate to how an individual was nurtured and treated by his/her own parent. Precisely because such early socializing experiences are preverbal and not readily available to consciousness, "education" concerning emotionally-charged issues such as dependency, helplessness, separation and autonomy is likely to fall on deaf ears. Pregnancy is a time when people begin to think about how they were parented and perhaps how they may want to parent the child they are about to have. Becoming a mother or a father means taking on a new identity, which involves a complete rethinking and redefining of oneself. Belsky (1985) found that a woman's perception of pregnancy and parenting were influenced by factors such as the woman's physiology, the quality of her marriage or significant-partner relationship, as well as life stresses and sources of support. A person's developmental history shapes personality and psychological well-being which, in turn, influences parental functioning. This developmental history sets constraints upon the perception of pregnancy, the "image-making stage" (Galinsky 1987) discussed below and upon the influence that infants can exert (Belsky and Tolan 1981). In clinical practice over the last eighteen years my work has been with families in the formative years of their parenting process. My first experience was with parents whose children were involved in preschool special education (birth to age five). These children were developmentally delayed due to varying factors, from known syndromes, environmental deprivation or unknown etiology. As I supported, assisted and encouraged these families I began to see that early intervention needed to be just that: early. Even in the child's infancy stage, issues stemming from the parent's own childhood could be seen to be interfering with their efforts to take on the parenting role. For the last nine years I have been involved with parents during their pregnancies, and have observed their parenting roles emerge during that time. Having specialized in infant development, I also have begun to merge the newborn-infant literature with the prenatal medical interventions, clearly seeing the continuum that intrauterine life and early infancy form. The nature of the parenting role in both settings seemed to develop in direct conjunctions with the growth and development of the baby, both during the pregnancy and in the postpartum period. …
Journal of Prenatal & Perinatal Psychology & Health, 2011
Research which studies family grief in response to perinatal loss (the loss of a child before bir... more Research which studies family grief in response to perinatal loss (the loss of a child before birth, during birth, or immediately after birth) generally has focused on parental grief and rarely included sibling grief. The emotional burdens from unresolved grief that surviving siblings experience can be carried into adulthood and are insufficiently understood. Siblings in families bereaved as a result of perinatal loss suffer in two ways: they mourn the loss of their expected sibling and they mourn the loss of the parents as they knew them prior to the loss. Parents can be so overwhelmed with their own grief that they are blind to their children's grief. Professionals can help parents learn how to communicate with their surviving children in appropriate ways so that their children will be able to express, integrate, and release their grief Perinatal losses affect the whole family system, and the impact can be felt even in later generations.
This article addresses the notion of intentional parenting from the viewpoint of bereaved parents... more This article addresses the notion of intentional parenting from the viewpoint of bereaved parents. Information comes from the authors' qualitative research with parents who experienced a perinatal loss. Parents provide a different perspective of intentionality: that of valuing their children's life as a gift and not taking their parenting responsibility lightly. Their descriptions of intentional behaviors, beginning in pregnancy, support the need for further research in the area of parenting after a loss.
This article presents secondary analysis of data from parents who, 50 to 70 years ago, birthed st... more This article presents secondary analysis of data from parents who, 50 to 70 years ago, birthed stillborn babies or babies with lethal anomalies and from adult children born after these losses. The stories reflect a time in history when parents were “protected” from seeing or holding their babies and mothers were unable to attend the funeral. There was no understanding by society or caregivers for parents’ need to process the loss or resources to build memories. They provide a strong argument for health care providers to offer such resources to parents today and offer grief support.
Background: Rapid changes to how maternity health care is delivered has occurred in many countrie... more Background: Rapid changes to how maternity health care is delivered has occurred in many countries across the globe in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Maternity care provisions have been challenged attempting to balance the needs and safety of pregnant women and their care providers. Women experiencing a pregnancy after loss (PAL) during these times face particularly difficult circumstances. Aim: In this paper we highlight the situation in three high income countries (Australia, Ireland and USA) and point to the need to remember the unique and challenging circumstances of these PAL families. We suggest new practices may be deviating from established evidence-based guidelines and outline the potential ramifications of these changes. Findings: Recommendations for health care providers are suggested to bridge the gap between the necessary safety requirements due to the pandemic, the role of the health care provider, and the needs of families experiencing a pregnancy after loss. Discussion: Changes to practices i.e. limiting the number of antenatal appointments and access to a support person may have detrimental effects on both mother, baby, and their family. However, new guidelines in maternity care practices developed to account for the pandemic have not necessarily considered women experiencing pregnancy after loss. Conclusion: Bereaved mothers and their families experiencing a pregnancy after loss should continue to be supported during the COVID-19 pandemic to limit unintended consequences.
This article presents information on the grief of grandparents whose adult son or daughter experi... more This article presents information on the grief of grandparents whose adult son or daughter experienced a perinatal loss. Data is drawn from two focus groups of grandmothers (11) and grandfathers (9) in a Midwestern area of the US using a qualitative method. Finding addresses their changed family dynamics, the dual pain of losing their grandchild, watching their adult child's grief and not knowing how to support their adult child. Grandparents also speak to their own disfranchised grief from their peers. Recommendations for those working with bereaved grandparents in the medical and community settings are offered to help support their needs.
Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, 2006
Objective: To present information about the father ' s perspective during the experience of a pre... more Objective: To present information about the father ' s perspective during the experience of a pregnancy following perinatal loss. Design: Descriptive phenomenology. Setting: Interviews were done in a venue chosen by fathers (home, clinic). Participants: Ten fathers who had experienced a loss within the prior year and were currently with that partner in a subsequent pregnancy. Four themes emerged: Recognition, preoccupation, stoicism, and support. Conclusions: Participants describe the need to be recognized by others. The orderly conduct of their daily lives is disrupted by preoccupation with the pregnancy. They feel unable to share their own anxiety and fear because they want to protect the mothers. Societal pressure to " be strong " and the belief that " men don ' t share " appear to inhibit fathers from getting support. Strategies to assess and support fathers emotionally at the time of loss and in the subsequent pregnancy need to be explored.
ABSTRACT: It has long been accepted that there is a developmental process women progress through ... more ABSTRACT: It has long been accepted that there is a developmental process women progress through during pregnancy as they take on the parenting role. This paper develops a theory of the unborn baby's role during the prenatal period as an active instigator in this parenting role. Referring to the work of Arnold Gesell and adapting it to the prenatal period, the author theorizes that the unborn baby's growth and development drives the developmental process of the parenting role prenatally. Pregnancy is viewed as the beginning of a lifelong process and a unique time when parents are especially open to exploring their changing roles with the baby as an equal contributor. It has long been accepted that women progress through stages of development during pregnancy as they take on the tasks of pregnancy and begin their parenting role (Rubin 1967, Leifer 1977, Cohen 1979). While these stages are elicited by pregnancy, the early-childhood literature also abounds in the belief that the parenting role (i.e., how we perceive our parenting role) is well established in the formative years of our own childhood. Uddenberg (1974) spoke of the earliest socialization for mothering behaviors beginning during the early-childhood years, when one is being mothered as well as observing mothering within the family context. Although Uddenberg spoke of this socialization in terms of the mothers, it is true for fathers as well. A major psychological impact of pregnancy involves the reawakening of unconscious, preverbal issues stemming from the parent's own experience of infancy and toddlerhood. These issues relate to how an individual was nurtured and treated by his/her own parent. Precisely because such early socializing experiences are preverbal and not readily available to consciousness, "education" concerning emotionally-charged issues such as dependency, helplessness, separation and autonomy is likely to fall on deaf ears. Pregnancy is a time when people begin to think about how they were parented and perhaps how they may want to parent the child they are about to have. Becoming a mother or a father means taking on a new identity, which involves a complete rethinking and redefining of oneself. Belsky (1985) found that a woman's perception of pregnancy and parenting were influenced by factors such as the woman's physiology, the quality of her marriage or significant-partner relationship, as well as life stresses and sources of support. A person's developmental history shapes personality and psychological well-being which, in turn, influences parental functioning. This developmental history sets constraints upon the perception of pregnancy, the "image-making stage" (Galinsky 1987) discussed below and upon the influence that infants can exert (Belsky and Tolan 1981). In clinical practice over the last eighteen years my work has been with families in the formative years of their parenting process. My first experience was with parents whose children were involved in preschool special education (birth to age five). These children were developmentally delayed due to varying factors, from known syndromes, environmental deprivation or unknown etiology. As I supported, assisted and encouraged these families I began to see that early intervention needed to be just that: early. Even in the child's infancy stage, issues stemming from the parent's own childhood could be seen to be interfering with their efforts to take on the parenting role. For the last nine years I have been involved with parents during their pregnancies, and have observed their parenting roles emerge during that time. Having specialized in infant development, I also have begun to merge the newborn-infant literature with the prenatal medical interventions, clearly seeing the continuum that intrauterine life and early infancy form. The nature of the parenting role in both settings seemed to develop in direct conjunctions with the growth and development of the baby, both during the pregnancy and in the postpartum period. …
Journal of Prenatal & Perinatal Psychology & Health, 2011
Research which studies family grief in response to perinatal loss (the loss of a child before bir... more Research which studies family grief in response to perinatal loss (the loss of a child before birth, during birth, or immediately after birth) generally has focused on parental grief and rarely included sibling grief. The emotional burdens from unresolved grief that surviving siblings experience can be carried into adulthood and are insufficiently understood. Siblings in families bereaved as a result of perinatal loss suffer in two ways: they mourn the loss of their expected sibling and they mourn the loss of the parents as they knew them prior to the loss. Parents can be so overwhelmed with their own grief that they are blind to their children's grief. Professionals can help parents learn how to communicate with their surviving children in appropriate ways so that their children will be able to express, integrate, and release their grief Perinatal losses affect the whole family system, and the impact can be felt even in later generations.
This article addresses the notion of intentional parenting from the viewpoint of bereaved parents... more This article addresses the notion of intentional parenting from the viewpoint of bereaved parents. Information comes from the authors' qualitative research with parents who experienced a perinatal loss. Parents provide a different perspective of intentionality: that of valuing their children's life as a gift and not taking their parenting responsibility lightly. Their descriptions of intentional behaviors, beginning in pregnancy, support the need for further research in the area of parenting after a loss.
This article presents secondary analysis of data from parents who, 50 to 70 years ago, birthed st... more This article presents secondary analysis of data from parents who, 50 to 70 years ago, birthed stillborn babies or babies with lethal anomalies and from adult children born after these losses. The stories reflect a time in history when parents were “protected” from seeing or holding their babies and mothers were unable to attend the funeral. There was no understanding by society or caregivers for parents’ need to process the loss or resources to build memories. They provide a strong argument for health care providers to offer such resources to parents today and offer grief support.
Background: Rapid changes to how maternity health care is delivered has occurred in many countrie... more Background: Rapid changes to how maternity health care is delivered has occurred in many countries across the globe in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Maternity care provisions have been challenged attempting to balance the needs and safety of pregnant women and their care providers. Women experiencing a pregnancy after loss (PAL) during these times face particularly difficult circumstances. Aim: In this paper we highlight the situation in three high income countries (Australia, Ireland and USA) and point to the need to remember the unique and challenging circumstances of these PAL families. We suggest new practices may be deviating from established evidence-based guidelines and outline the potential ramifications of these changes. Findings: Recommendations for health care providers are suggested to bridge the gap between the necessary safety requirements due to the pandemic, the role of the health care provider, and the needs of families experiencing a pregnancy after loss. Discussion: Changes to practices i.e. limiting the number of antenatal appointments and access to a support person may have detrimental effects on both mother, baby, and their family. However, new guidelines in maternity care practices developed to account for the pandemic have not necessarily considered women experiencing pregnancy after loss. Conclusion: Bereaved mothers and their families experiencing a pregnancy after loss should continue to be supported during the COVID-19 pandemic to limit unintended consequences.
This article presents information on the grief of grandparents whose adult son or daughter experi... more This article presents information on the grief of grandparents whose adult son or daughter experienced a perinatal loss. Data is drawn from two focus groups of grandmothers (11) and grandfathers (9) in a Midwestern area of the US using a qualitative method. Finding addresses their changed family dynamics, the dual pain of losing their grandchild, watching their adult child's grief and not knowing how to support their adult child. Grandparents also speak to their own disfranchised grief from their peers. Recommendations for those working with bereaved grandparents in the medical and community settings are offered to help support their needs.
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Papers by Joann O'Leary