Adaptation to developmental transformations during the various phases of motherhood

The developmental processes that surround pregnancy and motherhood exert powerful and all-encompassing effects on the lives of the women undergoing such changes. Research has recently determined that the physiological and emotional transformations that occur in pregnant women may have a significant impact on the relationship that gradually develops between mothers and their infants. The growth of this relationship with the infant is directly related to the developmental challenges confronting the expectant women and new mother. Although many women are fearful or ambivalent about expressing their emotions during such periods of developmental change because of the implications of such feelings, exploratory work that encourages the disclosure of dreams and fantasies often enables the therapist to predict the patient's future ability to cope with the challenges of motherhood. This article examines five cases in which the developmental transformations experienced by the woman during the antenatal and postnatal periods significantly influenced the evolution of an attachment relationship with the infant.