Mothering without a Mother

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Mothering Without A Mother: The Absence of Mother in the Minds of New Mothers

• IRAS ID

  279302

• Contact name

  Pauline Adair

• Contact email

  p.adair@qub.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Queens Univeristy Belfast

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 5 months, 30 days

• Research summary

  Summary of Research
  The current research plans to explore the lived experiences of new mothers who lack the presence of their mother in their life. Throughout the literature it is generally accepted that the transition to motherhood is a particularly challenging developmental period, only made more difficult by the absence of one’s mother. Existing studies have focused on the experience of maternally bereaved mothers. Beyond a small number of studies which focus on new mothers in foster care, there are no known studies which explore the experience of mothering with an absence of one’s mother for reasons other than bereavement. An exploratory in-depth study using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach is proposed to explore this concept within a population of new mothers whose children are aged under 24 months. The study aims to examine the lived experiences of these women and explore the impact of becoming a mother without the presence of their mother. Participants will be invited to participate in a semi-structured interview, lasting approximately 90 minutes. The study’s findings will inform clinical practice in the area of infant mental health and mother-child bonding.

  Summary of Results
  Maternal grandmothers play a vital role in the transition to motherhood for their own daughters. Research has explored what the experience of motherhood is like for those whose mother has passed away, and the current study adds to this literature by investigating the lived experience of motherhood for women who lacked a meaningful relationship with their mothers. Ten mothers of children under two years of age participated in a semi-structured interview to explore their lived experiences of being a mother. Women were recruited from two parent-infant services in Northern Ireland. The interviews were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Three superordinate themes were identified:
  ‘The Birth of a Mother’, ‘Mourning and Loss’ and ‘Ghosts in the Nursery’. The first theme captured the significant change of identity women experienced during their transition to motherhood. This identity change shed new light on their own experience of being mothered.
  The second theme captured the mourning and loss these women felt due to their relationship with their mother. Their lack of meaningful maternal relationships have left a hole impossible to fill. The final theme spoke to the intergenerational element of these mother’s experience and their desire to break a cycle of maternal deprivation. The rich content from the interviews highlights the need for services to be aware of this struggle of motherhood and provide adequate space and care for these women and their children

• REC name

  HSC REC B

• REC reference

  20/NI/0169

• Date of REC Opinion

  8 Dec 2020

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion