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Cited by 74Grief, Bereavement, and Mental HealthPalliative and Oncologic CareInfant Development and Preterm Care

Both empowered and powerless: mothers’ experiences of professional care when their newborn dies

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Lundqvist, Anita, Nilstun, Tore, Dykes, Anna‐Karin·2002·Birth
DOI 10.1046/j.1523-536x.2002.00187.x
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: The death of a newborn is a complex and tragic situation, the uncertain and stressful nature of which places emotional burdens on the parents. The aim of this study was to examine and illuminate mothers' experiences and perceptions of the care given to them at neonatal clinics while facing the threat and the reality of losing their baby. METHOD: Interviews were performed, in the form of conversations, with 16 mothers approximately 2 years after the death of their newborns. The interviews were analyzed using a hermeneutic phenomenological method. RESULTS: The primary themes identified were feeling empowered and feeling powerless. Three related themes to feeling empowered were a sense of nearness--supporting confidence; a sense of encouragement--supporting self-esteem; and a sense of empathy--supporting comfort. Three related themes to feeling powerless were a sense of distance--leading to strength or adjustment; a sense of violation--leading to helplessness and despondency; and a sense of disconnection--leading to insecurity and discouragement. All mothers felt both empowered and powerless. When experiencing empowering care, they had a feeling of encountering benevolence, with respect to their individual desires. Experiencing competent care without humane treatment madethemfeel powerless, and they were neither respected as a mother nor a person. CONCLUSIONS: Feelings of empowerment emerged when the health care professionals not only saw the mother as an individual but also "saw through the mothers' eyes" and "felt with the mother's feelings". Feelings of powerlessness emerged when the similarity in the lifeworld (i.e., the world of lived experiences) differed, and the perspectives of the mothers and the health care professionals did not correspond.

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  • Empathetic attitudes from healthcare providers fostered emotional comfort, a sense of empowerment, and support in reconstructing the subjective bond with the baby, contributing to the grieving process.

    “Empathetic attitudes from healthcare providers fostered emotional comfort, a sense of empowerment, and support in reconstructing the subjective bond with the baby, contributing to the grieving process”

    From Experiences and long-term repercussions of perinatal grief in women after perinatal bereavement: a meta-ethnography (2025) · cites this paper as [43]

  • When mothers did not feel their autonomy was respected (e.g., being pressured to hold the baby against their will), this denial of their wishes intensified their suffering and their difficulty in recognizing themselves as mothers in a grieving context.

    “In situations where mothers did not feel their autonomy was respected, for example, when they were pressured to hold the baby against their will (43), this denial of their wishes intensified not only their suffering but also their difficulty in recognizing themselves as mothers in a grieving context.”

    From Experiences and long-term repercussions of perinatal grief in women after perinatal bereavement: a meta-ethnography (2025) · cites this paper as [43]

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Authors
Lundqvist, A., Nilstun, T., & Dykes, A.
Affiliations
Lund University (SE)
Venue
Birth
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2002-08-05
Volume
29
Issue
3
Pages
192-199
ISSN
  • 0730-7659 (ISSN-L)
  • 1523-536X
DOI
10.1046/j.1523-536x.2002.00187.x
OpenAlex
W2137586254
Cited by
74
References
23
Citations by year
2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 2
FWCI
3.09
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Birth (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Lund University Publications (Lund University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative and Oncologic Care
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Infant Development and Preterm Care
Keywords
neonatal death, maternal experience, professional care, empowerment, powerlessness, neonatal intensive care, empathy in care, professional-patient relationship, grief, self-esteem, helplessness
MeSH terms
Adult, Bereavement, Female, Fetal Death, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Interviews as Topic, Mothers, Parity, Perception, Power, Psychological, Pregnancy, Social Support, Sweden, Intensive Care, Neonatal, Maternal-Child Nursing

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