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CONFERENCE PROCEEDING
The bond between mother and baby: How it is influenced by conditions surrounding childbirth, such as epidural anesthesia, and the midwife's sphere of impact
1
Universite Du Quebec A Trois-rivieres, Midwifery Department, Trois-Rivieres, Canada
2
Universite Du Quebec A Trois-rivieres, Psychology, Trois-Rivieres, Canada
Eur J Midwifery 2026;10(Supplement 1):A398
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The creation of a bond with the newborn is fundamental in the development of parental attachment. According to Bowlby's attachment theory, mothers are biologically predisposed to form an emotional bond with their newborns. However, it is questionable whether the care setting in which they give birth influences the creation of the bond, and if so, how?
OBJECTIVES:
To document mothers' representations of the relationship established with their baby from pregnancy until two months postnatal within different care settings.
METHODS:
This study adopted a qualitative descriptive and interpretative design. Twenty-six first-time mothers, who gave birth in Quebec between March 2022 and May 2023, participated in semi-structured interviews, following ethical approval. Participants had experienced one of the following birth settings: a medicalized birth or a physiological birth attended by a medical-nursing team in a hospital setting, or a physiological birth attended by a midwife, which took place either in a birthing center, at home, or in a hospital.
RESULTS:
Differences were clearly observed in these contexts. Some women established a bond with their baby during pregnancy, while others developed it later—sometimes only within the first month after birth. The midwifery approach plays a pivotal role, as does the medicalized environment, particularly due to the use of epidural anesthesia. The embodied physical experience of childbirth appeared to influence how the mother bonded with her baby. Several key elements were identified as supportive of bond formation: the caregiver’s approach, prenatal and birth support, respect for the mother's pace, and relational continuity. In addition, the midwife can help to create or recreate the bond during the postnatal period when necessary.
CONCLUSIONS:
The development of mother-baby bonding is optimized in a physiological birth context and a holistic approach.
KEY MESSAGE:
Midwives play an even more important role in mother-baby bonding when working within a model of relational continuity. Poster session 1 (Group A)
The creation of a bond with the newborn is fundamental in the development of parental attachment. According to Bowlby's attachment theory, mothers are biologically predisposed to form an emotional bond with their newborns. However, it is questionable whether the care setting in which they give birth influences the creation of the bond, and if so, how?
OBJECTIVES:
To document mothers' representations of the relationship established with their baby from pregnancy until two months postnatal within different care settings.
METHODS:
This study adopted a qualitative descriptive and interpretative design. Twenty-six first-time mothers, who gave birth in Quebec between March 2022 and May 2023, participated in semi-structured interviews, following ethical approval. Participants had experienced one of the following birth settings: a medicalized birth or a physiological birth attended by a medical-nursing team in a hospital setting, or a physiological birth attended by a midwife, which took place either in a birthing center, at home, or in a hospital.
RESULTS:
Differences were clearly observed in these contexts. Some women established a bond with their baby during pregnancy, while others developed it later—sometimes only within the first month after birth. The midwifery approach plays a pivotal role, as does the medicalized environment, particularly due to the use of epidural anesthesia. The embodied physical experience of childbirth appeared to influence how the mother bonded with her baby. Several key elements were identified as supportive of bond formation: the caregiver’s approach, prenatal and birth support, respect for the mother's pace, and relational continuity. In addition, the midwife can help to create or recreate the bond during the postnatal period when necessary.
CONCLUSIONS:
The development of mother-baby bonding is optimized in a physiological birth context and a holistic approach.
KEY MESSAGE:
Midwives play an even more important role in mother-baby bonding when working within a model of relational continuity. Poster session 1 (Group A)
| eISSN: | 2585-2906 |
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