Despite research which highlights parents' increased anxiety and risk of attachment issues with the pregnancy that follows a perinatal loss, there is often little understanding that bereaved families may need different care in their subsequent pregnancies. This book explores the lived experience of pregnancy and parenting after a perinatal loss.

Meeting the Needs of Parents Pregnant and Parenting After Perinatal Loss develops a helpful framework, which integrates continuing bonds and attachment theories, to support prenatal parenting at each stage of pregnancy. Giving insight into how a parent's world view of a pregnancy may have changed following a loss, readers are provided with tools to assist parents on their journey. The book discusses each stage of a pregnancy, as well as labor and the postpartum period, before examining subjects such as multi-fetal pregnancies, reluctant terminations, use of support groups, and the experiences of fathers and other children in the family. The chapters include up-to-date research findings, vignettes from parents reflecting on their own experiences and recommendations for practice.

Written for researchers, students and professionals from a range of health, social welfare and early years education backgrounds, this text outlines what we know about supporting bereaved families encountering the challenges of a subsequent pregnancy.

About the Author

Joann O'Leary works as an independent trainer and consultant on issues related to pregnancy, early parenting, and perinatal loss and is field faculty at the University of Minnesota's Center for Early Education and Development. Her research focuses on the infant mental health needs of children born into bereaved families.

Jane Warland is a registered midwife and senior lecturer at the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of South Australia. Her research focuses particularly on complications of pregnancy and perinatal mental health.

Reviews

For family life educators working in their various roles that may include work with families experiencing pregnancy after prenatal loss, this is a valuable resource. - Betty L. Cooke, National Council on Family Relations, Summer 2017 29:3

Perhaps one of the great strengths of this book is its attention to the children born subsequent to a loss, beginning with the suggestion that bereaved parents are different (not less than, just different) than non-bereaved parents. O'Leary and Warland have made a major contribution to prenatal and perinatal psychology, as well as to obstetric and pediatric practice and to public understanding. - Michael Trout, Journal of the Association for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health

Book Information
ISBN 9781138655072
Author Joann O'Leary
Format Paperback
Page Count 254
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 385g