Psychotherapy Vol. 54, Iss. 4, (Dec 2017): 373-379.
Parenting after pregnancy loss is often complicated for people who have not effectively grieved the loss and worked through the trauma. Reproductive losses can trigger shame and self-doubt, damage the sense of self-as-parent, and inflict narcissistic injuries, which, in turn, may impede the resolution of grief. If not addressed, these unresolved feelings may be projected onto subsequent children, potentially disrupting attachment relationships and the child’s sense of self. The reproductive story, a lifelong internal narrative that comprises the thoughts, feelings, and hopes about how parenting and adulthood will unfold, and forms the core of parental identity, can be used as a tool in helping parents understand the depth of their feelings, integrate current and past losses into the self, and resolve grief. . To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.