"Will they know who I am?": Contact between incarcerated mothers and their infants

The United States has the highest women's incarceration rate, and 2%-4% of incarcerated women are pregnant on admission. Mothers who give birth during incarceration are typically separated from their newborns, jeopardizing their ability to form a maternal relationship. This qualitative study examined the experiences of 27 mothers in Georgia and Pennsylvania who gave birth during incarceration, using semistructured interviews conducted near the time of release to explore how they communicated with their infants, the challenges they encountered, and the impact of separation on their maternal identity and well-being. Three themes were identified. The first theme was carceral alienation: A landscape of restrictive policies, logistical barriers, technological failures, and high communication costs disrupted their ability to nurture relationships with their infants. The second theme was maternal resilience: Despite obstacles, mothers demonstrated persistent efforts to connect with their babies, engaging in prenatal bonding and collaborating with caregivers postpartum. The third theme was disrupted motherhood: Mothers reported grief, depression, and ongoing struggles to rebuild relationships with children who did not know them postrelease, with reunification described as an ongoing process, especially after lengthy separations. These findings illustrate the inadequacy of the current U.S. carceral system in supporting the needs of mothers who give birth while incarcerated. Community-based alternatives to incarceration, family-centered carceral policies, and reunification support are needed to promote healthy mother-child relationships and mitigate the long-term impacts of maternal incarceration. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).