The distressing case of modern mothering : expectations, losses, and postnatal distress : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clincal Psychology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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Date
2011
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Massey University
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Abstract
Becoming a mother is a significant milestone for women. Pregnancy and childbirth epitomise
the most natural and normal of processes, and yet, paradoxically, they are increasingly
pathologised as a medical event. This discourse of disease which surrounds motherhood has
contributed to control of childbirth moving away from women as women lose confidence in their
ability to perform this most natural of processes unaided. Along with losing confidence in their
ability to manage the event of becoming a mother, women are losing their confidence to be a
mother, and to mother instinctively, instead relying on media, on literature, and on others to
tell them how best to do this most natural of roles.
Some argue motherhood has been subjected to media manipulation and a process of
sanitisation which exposes women to mothering myths from which they build their expectations
of motherhood. This creates unrealistic expectations of motherhood and therefore it is little
wonder women lose confidence in their ability to mother. And if motherhood is natural and
normal, how do we understand the rates of postnatal distress reported in mothers?
In order to answer that question this thesis proposes a new model of postnatal distress, which
argues postnatal distress is caused by the disparity between women’s prenatal expectations and
their postnatal experiences. Given all women experience a disparity between expectations and
experience yet not all women report postnatal distress, a moderator variable, loss, was
introduced. Elements of this new refined model were subsequently tested and it was found
women hold a number of expectations prior to becoming pregnant and these expectations
reflect a belief in a mythical image of mothering and mothers.
Given postnatal distress has a definitive trigger, and a definitive risk population it is ideally
suited to a preventative intervention. This thesis culminates with the design and piloting of
such an intervention developed from the new model. The intervention uses a mindfulnessbased
approach which comprises a three session group format, designed to be implemented
with first-time mothers during pregnancy. Findings suggest the protocol can be implemented in
a meaningful way and provide initial support for the acceptability and workability of the
protocol.
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Keywords
Motherhood, Postnatal distress, Motherhood expectations