PREGNANT WOMEN'S RECOLLECTIONS OF EARLY MATERNAL BONDING: ASSOCIATIONS WITH MATERNAL-FETAL ATTACHMENT AND BIRTH CHOICES

Abstract

Recollections of own maternal care measured by parental bonding were found to be important in the pregnant woman's construction of herself as a mother. Although these recollections were studied with regard to various variables, there is a dearth of studies associated with pregnancy and childbirth. In this cross-sectional study, 341 pregnant women were recruited. Measures included a Sociodemographics-Obstetric History Questionnaire; the Childbirth Choices Questionnaire (H. Preis, M. Gozlan, U. Dan, & Y. Benyamini, 2018); the Parental Bonding Instrument (G. Parker, H. Tupling, & L.B. Brown, 1979); a question regarding the planned presence of the woman's mother at delivery; and the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale (M.S. Cranley, 1981). Parental recollections of Care were associated with fewer natural birth choices (hence, a more "medicalized" delivery), lower maternal-fetal attachment, and a wish for the mother's mother to be present at the birth. Parental recollections of Encouragement of Behavioral Freedom in childhood were associated with more natural choices regarding childbirth. In addition, women with higher scores on the parental bonding Denial of Autonomy factor reported stronger maternal-fetal attachment. Thus, early recollections of experiences with caregivers as manifested in parental bonding may be a possible influence on the transition to motherhood, and working through possible difficulties associated with these recollections may improve adjustment to motherhood.

Keywords: Choix liés à l'accouchement et à la naissance; Opciones Relacionadas con el Nacimiento; Schwangerschaft; Transition à la maternité; afectividad materno-fetal; attachement maternel-foetal; birth-related choices; elterliche Bindung; embarazo; geburtsbezogene Entscheidungen; lien parental; maternal-fetal attachment; mütterlich-fetale Bindung; parental bonding; pregnancy; transición a la maternidad; transition to motherhood; vínculo con progenitores; Übergang zur Mutterschaft; الروابط الوالدية ؛ تعلق الام والجنين ؛ الخيارات المتعلقة بالولادة ؛ الحمل و الانتقال إلى الأمومة; 出生関連の選択; 妊娠; 懷孕; 母性への移行。; 母胎依附; 母親- 胎児の愛着; 與生育有關的選擇; 親との情緒的絆; 親子關係; 過渡為母.