Pregnancy
Pregnancy—the time leading up to birth—is a period of massive physical and emotional change and preparation that varies greatly from woman to woman. Pregnancy can provoke feelings of joy and also ambivalence and anxiety -- even fear and sadness. Anecdotally, Evans and Aronson (2005) note that in spite of the wide range of individual responses to pregnancy, there are common areas of focus: mixed feelings, anxiety about life changes, fear of childbirth, questions about motherhood, and fear of miscarriage. In order to support both the physical and emotional health of mother and child, it is important to have the proper prenatal care and a good support network.
Regardless of the circumstances surrounding pregnancy, it is universally a period of time when mothers begin to develop an idea about the child growing inside of them. Expectations, fantasies, and ideas begin to emerge about what it will be like to parent. All of these beginning stages of the parent-child relationship prepare the mother as she begins to relate to her child as a responsive, separate being.
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See also:
Attachment
For further reading:
The Whole Pregnancy Handbook, by Joel M. Evans, M.D., OB/GYN, & Robin Aronson. Gotham Books.