The Psychology Of Childbirth

The physical process of birth is no longer as mysterious as it once was. But many unanswered psychological questions still surround the birth of a child. In this remarkably appealing and personable book, pediatrician Aidan Macfarlane takes a careful look at a large number of these important psychological unknowns. On Macfarlane's agenda: Can a woman's emotional attitude toward pregnancy cause "morning sickness," influence the smoothness of labor and delivery, or shape the child's behavior after birth? Can the mother-child relationship be adversely affected by separation immediately after birth? Is the quality of the birth experience improved by home delivery? What are the psychological effects of pain-killing drugs on mother and child? What, if anything, does the unborn infant see, hear, and feel inside the womb? Is birth a psychological trauma for the child and, if so, how can it be alleviated? Although Dr. Macfarlane refuses to provide easy answers to any of these questions, his clear discussion of the available evidence is not without important consequences for the way in which we understand birth and manage it in our society.

After the birth of my second son some 11 years ago, I was painfully torn by the timing of my reentry to work-my wish to return to a prestigious and stimulating position as chief psychologist of a large agency, or my equally powerful wish to enjoy fully my beautiful new son's infancy, undivided and untorn. At the time I had a dream that my body was cut in half at the waist-my head leaned to the books neatly contained on the library shelves; my belly went to the crib, all sweet-smelling and soft. Not having had the opportunity to be "un divided" with my first son (now 17 years old), I chose to resign my agency position and stay home as long as I wished and then develop my private practice. It was a decision that at the time entailed much loss-cerebral, collegial, social, pres tigious-and generated some self-doubt, but in retrospect it is not regretted and was perhaps wise. This son's infancy will always be remembered as a time in which I experienced mothering with ease and grace.

The inclusion of quotations from women on their own experiences emphasizes the woman's view and highlights the major themes of communication, therapeutic support and flexibility throughout the childbearing period. The book covers all facets of pregnancy and parenting from routine antenatal care, to more unusual circumstances such as baby snatching, bereavement, suicide and mental health problems.

This accessible, evidence-based book explores how important it is for midwives to understand the psychological aspects of care, in order to create positive experiences for mothers and families. The book provides simple explanations for why psychological care matters in midwifery practice and uses different theoretical perspectives of psychology to illustrate how it fundamentally contributes to good midwifery practice. The book addresses many core concepts and principles of psychology, including: Mother-midwife relationship Emotions during the childbearing continuum Perinatal mental illness Communications in midwifery practice The birth environment Stress and anxiety Providing support to families Attachment and bonding Reflective questions, activities, illustrations, tables, summary boxes and a glossary help readers navigate the book.Psychology for Midwives is essential reading for all midwives, students and allied health care professionals interested in the psychological dimensions of childbearing.

This book explores the psychological aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, and early motherhood--an area usually overlooked in the perinatology literature. 20 multidisciplinary contributors discuss what parents and their children experience during this emotionally charged period. The result is a much-needed resource that will help health professionals to provide more supportive and empowering care.