The Imagined World of the Pregnant Mother and Midwifery

This lecture discusses the psychosocial aspects of pregnancy and the development of the woman’s imagined world. How and why the imagined world is constructed is analysed applying attachment theory and psychoanalytic perspectives. What the imagined world means for the mother and infant relationship and, the development of both the baby and mother’s identity is discussed. The implications of the psychological perspectives presented, to the provision of best practice midwifery, are discussed at length in this thought-provoking lecture.

This session will cover the following concepts:

• The imagined world of the pregnant mother.
• The psychosocial aspects of pregnancy.
• Attachment theory and psychoanalytic perspectives of personality development.
• The motehr and infant relationship.
• The provision of best practice midwifery.

Finbar Hopkins is a Lecturer in the Centre for Psychiatric Nursing at the University of Melbourne, Australia. In addition to being a registered general nurse, midwife and psychiatric nurse, her post-graduate qualifications include a Graduate Diploma in Women’s Health and a Master of Women’s Studies. In her current PhD. Studies, Finbar is examining some psychosocial aspects of pregnant mothers.

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