Critical Psychophysical Passages in the Life of a Woman : A Psychodynamic Perspective

"After the birth of my second son some 11 years ago, I was painfully torn by the timing of my reentry to work-my wish to return to a prestigious and stimulating position as chief psychologist of a large agency, or my equally powerful wish to enjoy fully my beautiful new son's infancy, undivided and untorn. At the time I had a dream that my body was cut in half at the waist-my head leaned to the books neatly contained on the library shelves; my belly went to the crib, all sweet-smelling and soft. Not having had the opportunity to be "unƯ divided" with my first son (now 17 years old), I chose to resign my agency position and stay home as long as I wished and then develop my private practice. It was a decision that at the time entailed much loss-cerebral, collegial, social, presƯ tigious-and generated some self-doubt, but in retrospect it is not regretted and was perhaps wise. This son's infancy will always be remembered as a time in which I experienced mothering with ease and grace"--Font no determinada Front Matter....Pages i-xiii Introduction....Pages 1-2 Front Matter....Pages 3-3 Psychohistorical Reflections on Changing Body Images for Women....Pages 5-15 Early Female Development....Pages 17-36 Reflections on the Daughter as a Projective Screen....Pages 37-48 The Father’s Role in the Self-Development of His Daughter....Pages 49-65 Front Matter....Pages 67-67 Menarche and Menstruation....Pages 69-91 Motivations for Motherhood and the Nature of the Self—Object Tie....Pages 93-101 Psychoanalytic Aspects of Pregnancy....Pages 103-120 Front Matter....Pages 121-121 Psychology of Childbirth....Pages 123-131 The Postpartum Period....Pages 133-145 The Nursing Experience....Pages 147-161 Emotional Aspects of Pregnancy and Childbirth....Pages 163-180 Front Matter....Pages 181-181 A Study of Menopausal Women in Analytic Treatment....Pages 183-197 Menopause....Pages 199-214 Front Matter....Pages 215-215 Body Image in the 21st Century....Pages 217-228 Psychodynamics of Abortion Regression or Rebirth?....Pages 229-249 Women and Eating Disorders....Pages 251-268 Psychological Consequences of Infertility....Pages 269-289 Overview....Pages 291-292 Back Matter....Pages 293-296