Paths to Parenthood : Emotions on the Journey Through Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Early Parenting

This interdisciplinary book explores the affective dimensions of becoming a parent, traversing the life-cycle journey of pregnancy, childbirth, and early parenting. Bringing together researchers from sociology, history, feminist studies, cultural studies, general medicine, and psychiatry, __Paths to Parenthood__ analyses rich narratives that represent a diverse cross-section of parents, including migrants, same-sex couples, and single parents. Acknowledgements 6 Contents 8 Editors and Contributors 10 1 The Complex and Contradictory Emotional Paths to Parenthood 13 Narrating the Journey 16 Scholarly Context for Paths to Parenthood 20 Organisation and Themes 23 References 27 Part I Journeys into Pregnancy and Childbirth 30 2 Postnatural Families: Refiguring Intimacy Through Assisted Reproduction 31 Bodies, Technologies, Emotions 35 Opportunity and Foreclosure 37 Alienation and Loneliness 41 Uncertainty, Guilt, and Pain 44 Satisfaction 48 Conclusion 50 References 51 3 Embodying Pregnancy and Self-Surveillance 54 Embodying Medicine 57 Embodying the Child 67 Conclusion 74 References 75 4 Pain and Suffering in Labour and Birth 77 The History of Pain Management in Childbirth 78 Women’s Testimonies of Pain and Suffering in Childbirth 83 Pain and a Good Birth 93 Conclusion 97 References 98 Part II Journeys into Early Parenthood 101 5 Same-Sex Attracted Parents’ Emotional Transitions to Parenthood 102 Mental and Emotional Health of LGBT Parents 104 Trauma Associated with Pregnancies 109 Negotiating Parental and Familial Identities 113 Biological Relatedness and Parental Identity 116 Conclusion 119 References 121 6 The Turbulent Emotions of Early Parenthood 126 Joy, Love, Exhaustion 131 Bodies and Emotions 133 Inexperience and Responsibility 134 Families and Relationships 135 Self and Sacrifice 138 Silences and Ignorance 140 Settling into Parenthood 143 Conclusion 145 References 147 7 ‘What Have I Done?’: An Exploration of the Ambivalent, Unimaginable Emotions of New Motherhood 151 Conceptualising Motherhood 152 Unpacking Emotional Narratives of Motherhood 157 Kathleen’s Story 157 Esther’s Story 162 Conclusion 167 References 169 8 Narrating and Disrupting Postnatal Depression 171 Theoretical Framework 173 The Speaking ‘I’ Interrupted 178 Diagnosis, Absolution, Connection 183 Conclusion 186 References 189 9 ‘One of the Most Vulnerable Times in Your Life’: Expectations and Emotional Experiences of Support in the Early Postnatal Period 193 Postpartum Practices in Cross-Cultural, Historical, and Contemporary Perspective 196 Orientations Towards Social Support in Early Parenthood: Expectations and Emotions 199 Influences on Expectations: Network-/Interdependence-Oriented Parents 200 Emotional Experiences: Network-/Interdependence-Oriented Parents 204 Influences on Expectations: Couple-/Independence-Oriented Parents 207 Emotional Experiences: Couple-/Independence-Oriented Parents 211 Conclusion 213 References 217 10 Labour After Labour: Negotiating Caring for Children and Paid Work 221 Negotiating the Work-Life Balance 224 Conclusion 235 References 237 Appendix 239 Author Index 243 Subject Index 246 Front Matter ....Pages i-xiii The Complex and Contradictory Emotional Paths to Parenthood (Paula A. Michaels, Renata Kokanović)....Pages 1-17 Front Matter ....Pages 19-19 Postnatural Families: Refiguring Intimacy Through Assisted Reproduction (Camille Nurka)....Pages 21-43 Embodying Pregnancy and Self-Surveillance (Kate Cregan)....Pages 45-67 Pain and Suffering in Labour and Birth (Paula A. Michaels)....Pages 69-92 Front Matter ....Pages 93-93 Same-Sex Attracted Parents’ Emotional Transitions to Parenthood (Ruth McNair, Deborah Dempsey)....Pages 95-118 The Turbulent Emotions of Early Parenthood (Leah Williams Veazey)....Pages 119-143 ‘What Have I Done?’: An Exploration of the Ambivalent, Unimaginable Emotions of New Motherhood (Kate Huppatz)....Pages 145-164 Narrating and Disrupting Postnatal Depression (Meredith Stone, Renata Kokanović)....Pages 165-186 ‘One of the Most Vulnerable Times in Your Life’: Expectations and Emotional Experiences of Support in the Early Postnatal Period (Kate Johnston-Ataata, Renata Kokanović, Paula A. Michaels)....Pages 187-214 Labour After Labour: Negotiating Caring for Children and Paid Work (Charlotte Greenhalgh)....Pages 215-232 Back Matter ....Pages 233-254