Campo

The trauma of childbirth: fallen from the nest. Clinical Narcissism applied to families with hospitalized babies.

Abstract

Premature birth is a trauma. Being born prematurely is traumatic.
This paper tries to explore the cracks and unexpected situations, created by technical advances and suggests ways for the psychic survival of the mother-son bond. An analogy is used between children’s stories about broken nests saved by fairies and elves and these dramatic day-to-day stories occur thanks to the latest technology and, where the pediatricians are now represented as the heroes.
How do parents cope with this situation? How do they work through this?
How do mothers cope with having to stay in hospital? A group session of mothers is used to get to know their feelings, their ways of speaking, their perceptions and their logic of caring. It signals the importance of providing a safe and secure environment for the abreaction and elaboration of this situation. The place is thought of as a balancing structure that functions like a transitional space, permitting the recovery of the parent-infant bond.

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