Childbirth Case Study

1457 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Impact of attachment at developmental stages

The case study that I will be looking at in this assignment is case study 2. This relates to Niamh and her partner who are pregnant with their second child. Their daughter from the previous pregnancy is now four years old, but the memories of the birth have caused anxiety to linger with them as they found it to be very traumatic. They are both very excited and happy to be pregnant again and are looking forward to the arrival of their second child. However, they both have very differing views on the delivery. Niamh is hoping for a natural vaginal birth, but her partner feels that an elective caesarean section would be the best option. Niamh felt quite low after the birth of their daughter and did not feel that she bonded well initially. She is scared that this may happen again; however she is also worried that she may bond very well with the new baby and develop a greater feeling of love for the new baby than she has for her daughter. Niamh also fears her daughter reaction towards having a new baby in the house.

There are many psychological factors in this case; however the three factors that I am going to discuss in this assignment are the maternal/infant attachment, maternal mental health and pain and coping. I shall begin by discussing each of these factors, using psychological research and evidence. I will then discuss the role of the midwife in relation to each factor.

Attachment is an emotional bond between two people. In his theory of attachment, Bowlby states that the bonds that are formed early in life can impact throughout the rest of a persons life. The bond between mother and baby is the earliest bond to occur between two people and it is extremely individualized. It can happen at or after the birth of the baby, a...

... middle of paper ...

...ocial Context of Birth

Mitchell, M. Williams, J. Hobbs, E. Pollard, K. The Use of Complementary Therapies

in Maternity Services: A Survey British Journal of Midwifery, October 2006, Vol 14, No 10

Winson, N. 2003 Transition to Motherhood

Carly Miller, Sarah E. Newton 2006 Pain Perception and Expression: The Influence of Gender, Personal Self-Efficacy, and Lifespan Socialization Pain Management Nursing

December 2006 (Vol. 7, Issue 4, Pages 148-152) McCaffery, M. 1968

Flink 2009 Pain in childbirth and postpartum recovery – The role of catastrophizing

Farnworth A. and Pearson P. 2007 Choosing mode of delivery after previous caesarean birth British Journal of Midwifery, April 2007, Vol 15, No 4

Rich, A. 1995 Of woman born: motherhood as experience and institution Norton (New York).

O’Hare and Fallon (2011) British Journal of Midwifery • March 2011 • Vol 19, No 3

Show More
Related

  • Bishop Score Case Study

    726 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Bishop score is a pelvic scoring system developed to make it easier to determine whether a multiparous woman was a suitable candidate for induction of pregnancy. Although the information in the Bishop score was known by many obstetricians for many years, Edward H. bishop is credited because he pulled the pieces together and formed an organized system accompanied by research and statistics to back up his findings. His paper is called the “Pelvic Scoring for Elective Induction”. In this paper, Bishop describes basic minimal requirements that must be met before any patient can be considered for elective induction of labor (1964).

    Read More

  • Sweet Home Births in Alabama: Fighting to Legalize Midwives in the State

    1916 Words  | 4 Pages

    Johnson, K. C., & Daviss, B. A. (2005). Outcomes of planned home births with certified professional midwives: large prospective study in North America. Bmj, 330(7505), 1416.

    Read More

  • Nursing Theories: A Meta-Paradigm Analysis

    341 Words  | 1 Pages

    the dynamics at home as new roles emerge, like parenthood. This new situation creates a stress in the family that can lead to a depressive state in some members of the family. The term post-partum is also well-known and it not only affects the mother but the interaction between parents and children. The enforcement of Bernard’s Model helps nurses detect the different risk situations that can involve the child and in turn intervene since the beginning to avoid future complications in the development of the child.

    Read More

  • Research Paper On Obstetrician

    2808 Words  | 6 Pages

    "7 Tips For Having A Natural Childbirth." Fit Pregnancy. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013. .

    Read More

  • The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog By Dr. Pary

    1137 Words  | 3 Pages

    Attachment is an important aspect through the developmental stages of a child. It is the process through which an individual develops specific bonds with others (). John Bowlby theorized Attachment Theory, which focuses on a behavioral system that demonstrates the response of an adult when a child signals which can lead to a strong trusting relationship (). Through attachment infants develop strong emotional bonds with others, which can result in a more positive outcome later in life.

    Read More

  • Preterm Labor Essay

    617 Words  | 2 Pages

    As defined by Lowdermilk, Perry and Cashion, preterm labor is “cervical changes and uterine contractions occurring between 20 and 37 weeks of pregnancy”. Preterm birth is a dramatic event causing distress for both the child and parents. There is a significant amount of information available on the risk factors related to preterm labor. Seeing the ineffectiveness of interventions directed towards known risk factors emphasizes the lack of maternal understanding of possible underlying pathways.

    Read More

  • John Bowlby's Attachment Theory

    2162 Words  | 5 Pages

    The attachment style that a child endures with their mother initially begins before the child is even born. In the mother’s womb, the infant becomes aware of their mother and father’s voices, where they begin to develop a bond with them and feel nurtured and comforted by the things they hear their parents sing and speak to them. According to Bowlby, the development of attachment takes place in four different phases and are reinforced as they grow older from the Preattachment (birth to age 6 weeks), attachment-in-the-making (age 6 weeks to 8 months), clear cut attachment (between 8 months to 1 ½ years of age) and the reciprocal relationship (from 1 ½ or 2 and on). As the child grows older, then begin to understand their parent’s feelings and motives and are able to organize their efforts and reciprocate the same i...

    Read More

  • Comparing John Erikson And Mary Ainsworth And John Bowlby

    1061 Words  | 3 Pages

    The attachment theory, presented by Mary Ainsworth in 1969 and emerged by John Bowlby suggests that the human infant has a need for a relationship with an adult caregiver, and without a subsequent, development can be negatively impacted (Hammonds 2012). Ainsworth proposes that the type of relationship and “attachment” an infant has with the caregiver, can impact the social development of the infant. As stated by Hammonds (2012), attachment between a mother and a child can have a great impact on the child 's future mental

    Read More

  • Prenatal Interview Research Paper

    848 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is important to understand what women commonly experience during pregnancy. With a better understanding of what happens during prenatal development and childbirth, physicians can competently develop the best plan for the mother and baby. I interviewed two women who have been previously pregnant in order to evaluate how the ideas in the book translate into real-life experiences.

    Read More

  • Empathy In Nursing

    1159 Words  | 3 Pages

    A great deal of emotions occur in the postpartum period, emotions that you could never understand unless you have been there. Before I attended a conference on depression in pregnancy & postpartum the thought of fathers suffering from postnatal depression never even entered my mind. As far as I was concerned, It was only associated it with giving birth. The knowledge I gained has not only changed my outlook on the subject but the way that I interact with and educate my patients. My focus is no longer just on the dyad of mom and baby it’s on mom, dad and baby if there is a partner involved at all. The purpose of this essay is to explore a particular concept related to professional caring in nursing. It will discuss the patient/client situation, exploration of the concept, how the concept relates to personal caring through noticing, interpreting, responding and reflection. The concept that will be explored in this paper is empathy.

    Read More

  • the importance of mother-infant attachment

    1260 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dr. Sigmund Freud thought the experiences in the first five years were the most critical for the development of personality. It is where it all begins. We all go through stresses in life but it is the well-developed adult that is able to handle stress and how they handle it. It all starts with attachment between the caregiver and the infant. The emotional bond that forms between an infant and a primary caregiver is called attachment. Bonding is a continuation of the relationship that began during pregnancy. The physical and chemical changes that were happening in the body of a mother remind her of the presence of that little person who was growing inside her. Birth reinforces that bond and gives it validity. Now she can see, feel, and talk to the little person that she knew only as a movement in her belly and the heartbeat she heard through the ultra sound. Bonding allows her to transfer her love for the infant inside to the outside. Inside, she gave her blood and outside, she gives her milk, her attention with her eyes, hands and voice. Bonding brings mothers and newborns back together. Attachment is a very important development in the social and emotional life of the infant, usually forming within the first six months of the infant’s life and showing up in a number of ways during the second six months, such as wariness of strangers and fear of being separated from the caregiver. According to psychologist Mary Ainsworth, attachment is a connection between two people that creates a bond. It is that bond that causes the desire for contact with that person and the feeling of distress when separation occurs from that person. This special tie between two human beings that bind them together is what attachment is. Attachment aids a n...

    Read More

  • The Attachment Theory

    1811 Words  | 4 Pages

    John Bowlby was the first attachment theorist, he describes attachment as a “lasting psychological connectedness between human beings” (Bowlby, 1969, p.194), he believed that the earliest bonds that were formed between child and caregiver has a huge impact that continues throughout the infants life. Attachment is said to help keep the infant close to their mother, so it improves the child’s chance of survival.

    Read More

  • Preparing for and Having a Baby

    2841 Words  | 6 Pages

    There are many different areas to consider when preparing for and having a newborn. Whether the pregnancy was planned or unplanned or the couple is married or not, a newborn baby brings new responsibilities. Having a baby also forces people to make adjustments both financially and within the family. Parents also express concerns and expectations when having a newborn comma especially when it is their first; including what roles each parent and family member should play, how much confidence they have in their parenting skills, and how much financial strain would be placed on the family once the newborn has arrived. The newest issue in today’s society is the fact that many women are delaying childbirth and having more children in their later years of life.

    Read More

  • C-Section

    1217 Words  | 3 Pages

    Over the years birthing methods have changed a great deal. When technology wasn’t so advanced there was only one method of giving birth, vaginally non-medicated. However, in today’s society there are now more than one method of giving birth. In fact, there are three methods: Non-medicated vaginal delivery, medicated vaginal delivery and cesarean delivery, also known as c-section. In the cesarean delivery there is not much to prepare for before the operation, except maybe the procedure of the operation. A few things that will be discussed are: the process of cesarean delivery, reasons for this birthing method and a few reasons for why this birthing method is used. Also a question that many women have is whether or not they can vaginally deliver after a cesarean delivery, as well as the risks and benefits if it. Delivering a child by a c-section also has a few advantages and disadvantages for both the mother and child; this will also be discussed in more depth a bit later.

    Read More

  • Ramona T. Mercer: Maternal Role Attainment

    3116 Words  | 7 Pages

    Poster, E. (1984). Human Responses to Child Bearing. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 6(3), 99. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

    Read More

More about Childbirth Case Study

Open Document