Age at placement, adoption experience and adult adopted people's contact with their adoptive and birth mothers: An attachment perspective

In this qualitative study, we explored the experiences of non-birth mothers whose child(ren) were planned and conceived within their same-sex relationship. We conducted semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with 14 participants in Ireland. We transcribed the interviews verbatim and analyzed the data using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Our findings comprised three superordinate themes: A Question of Recognition, An Insecure Connection, and Carving Your Own Way and related subordinate themes. Motherhood experiences were characterized by resilience and vulnerability in parenting their children without legal parental rights and within a heteronormative society that privileged biological motherhood. The dynamic relationship between seeking connection and seeking legitimacy that is at the heart of the participants’ experiences of motherhood is highlighted. Participants encountered challenges to their maternal legitimacy within their families and communities and in their interactions with legal and social institutions. Participants described using various strategies to reinforce their parental identity. Despite the challenges, participants were engaged in constructing satisfying parenting roles. The findings highlight the importance of legitimizing the parental identity of non-birth mothers. Therapists should be sensitive to the additional marginalization of non-birth mothers in same-sex parent families. Validating their vulnerability and their resilience in the face of obstacles may enhance their coping resources.

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Processing of infant emotion in mothers with mood disorders and implications for infant development

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291721000891 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Anne J. Bjertrup ◽

Mala Moszkowicz ◽

Ida Egmose ◽

Anette Kjærbye-Thygesen ◽

René E. Nielsen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mood Disorders ◽

Partial Remission ◽

Infant Development ◽

Maternal Sensitivity ◽

Unipolar Depression ◽

Cognitive Responses ◽

Emotional Stimuli ◽

Birth Mothers ◽

Psychophysiological Response ◽

Galvanic Skin Responses

Abstract Background Atypical neurocognitive responses to emotional stimuli are core features of unipolar depression (UD) and bipolar disorder (BD). For mothers with these mood disorders, this may influence interactions with their infants and consequently infant development. The study aimed to investigate psychophysiological and cognitive responses to infant emotional stimuli, and their relation to mother–infant interaction and infant development, in mothers with BD or UD in full or partial remission. Methods Four months after birth, mothers' cognitive responses to emotional infant stimuli were assessed with computerized tasks, while their facial expressions, galvanic skin responses (GSR), gazes, and fixations were recorded. Infant development and mother–infant interactions were also assessed. Results We included 76 mothers: 27 with BD, 13 with UD, and 36 without known psychiatric disorders, and their infants. Mothers with BD and UD were in full or partial remission and showed blunted GSR and spent less time looking at infant stimuli (unadjusted p values < 0.03). Mothers with BD showed subtle positive neurocognitive biases (unadjusted p values<0.04) and mothers with UD showed negative biases (unadjusted p values < 0.02). Across all mothers, some measures of atypical infant emotion processing correlated with some measures of delays in infant development and suboptimal mother–infant interaction (unadjusted p values<0.04). Conclusions Mothers with mood disorders in full or partial remission showed atypical cognitive and psychophysiological response to emotional infant stimuli, which could be associated with mother–infant interactions and infant development. The study is explorative, hypothesis generating, and should be replicated in a larger sample. Investigation of the long-term implications of reduced maternal sensitivity is warranted.

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The Young Netherlands Twin Register (YNTR): Longitudinal Twin and Family Studies in Over 70,000 Children

Twin Research and Human Genetics ◽

10.1017/thg.2012.118 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 252-267 ◽

Cited By ~ 124

Author(s):

Catharina E. M. van Beijsterveldt ◽

Maria Groen-Blokhuis ◽

Jouke Jan Hottenga ◽

Sanja Franić ◽

James J. Hudziak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Data Collection ◽

The Netherlands ◽

Behavior Problems ◽

Longitudinal Data ◽

Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽

Birth Mothers ◽

Older Parents ◽

Subject Recruitment ◽

Longitudinal Data Collection ◽

Adolescent Twins

The Netherlands Twin Register (NTR) began in 1987 with data collection in twins and their families, including families with newborn twins and triplets. Twenty-five years later, the NTR has collected at least one survey for 70,784 children, born after 1985. For the majority of twins, longitudinal data collection has been done by age-specific surveys. Shortly after giving birth, mothers receive a first survey with items on pregnancy and birth. At age 2, a survey on growth and achievement of milestones is sent. At ages 3, 7, 9/10, and 12 parents and teachers receive a series of surveys that are targeted at the development of emotional and behavior problems. From age 14 years onward, adolescent twins and their siblings report on their behavior problems, health, and lifestyle. When the twins are 18 years and older, parents are also invited to take part in survey studies. In sub-groups of different ages, in-depth phenotyping was done for IQ, electroencephalography , MRI, growth, hormones, neuropsychological assessments, and cardiovascular measures. DNA and biological samples have also been collected and large numbers of twin pairs and parents have been genotyped for zygosity by either micro-satellites or sets of short nucleotide polymorphisms and repeat polymorphisms in candidate genes. Subject recruitment and data collection is still ongoing and the longitudinal database is growing. Data collection by record linkage in the Netherlands is beginning and we expect these combined longitudinal data to provide increased insights into the genetic etiology of development of mental and physical health in children and adolescents.

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Effects of kefir consumption on carbohydrate profile of mother’s milk

Functional Foods in Health and Disease ◽

10.31989/ffhd.v11i9.819 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 473

Author(s):

Tuğçe Tok Kurt ◽

Çağlar Gökırmaklı ◽

Zeynep B Guzel-Seydim

Keyword(s):

Immune System ◽

Human Milk ◽

Control Group ◽

Birth Mothers ◽

Pathogenic Organism ◽

Liquid Chromatographic Method ◽

Mother's Milk ◽

Mother’S Milk ◽

The Rich ◽

Liquid Chromatographic

Background: Human milk contains the nutrients necessary for the growth and development of babies as it contains essential bioactive components to support the immune system. Galactooligosaccharides which are important indigestible prebiotics, help multiply the growth of beneficial microorganisms selectively and inhibit the growth of the pathogenic organism. The nutrition of the mother is essential since it affects the composition of mother’s milk. Kefir affects the digestive system, lactose intolerance immune system, anti-microbial effects, probiotic and prebiotic features. However, there is no report on how kefir consumption may have effects on composition of mother’s milk. In this aspect, this study aimed to determine the effects of kefir consumption on the carbohydrate profiles of the mother’s milk. Methods: This study started immediately after birth, mothers were fed with 500 ml/day of kefir made from kefir grains for 30 days in the KF group. Mothers who are in the control group (KI) continued their regular diet. Mother’s milk was collected on the 10th, 20th, and 30th day and stored at 4ºC. Carbohydrate profile including GOS was determined using the liquid chromatographic method with the HI-PLEX column.Results: The mean lactose concentrations of mother’s milk who consumed kefir were 4,68; 4,72; 5,89 g/100ml on days 10th, 20th, and 30th, respectively. Glucose concentrations were 0,29; 0,08; 0,21 g/100ml on 10th, 20th, 30th days, respectively. For the mother’s milk samples in the control group, the averages of lactose concentration were 5,42; 5,73; 5,51 g/100ml on days 10th, 20th, and 30th. GOS peaks were specified depending on the rich content of prebiotics. Conclusion: Consumption of authentic kefir may have effect on carbohydrate profile, including GOS of mother’s milk. Keywords: Human milk, kefir, prebiotic, galactooligosaccharides

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Kematangan Emosi Dan Tingkat Kecemasan Persalinan Pertama Usia 17-21 Tahun Di Kecamatan Candi Sidoarjo

Psikologia Jurnal Psikologi ◽

10.21070/psikologia.v1i1.743 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 22

Author(s):

Effy Wardati Maryam ◽

Yeni Yeni

Keyword(s):

Family Support ◽

Exercise Group ◽

Health Clinic ◽

Local Health ◽

Maturity Level ◽

Birth Mothers ◽

Emotional Maturity ◽

High Level ◽

First Time ◽

Dominant Influence

The background of this research by the researcher’s curiosity about the level of emotional maturity and anxiety experienced by mothers who gave birth for the first time at age 17-21 years. The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a significant correlation between the level of emotional maturity level of anxiety at first birth mothers 17-21 years of age and indicators of what the most dominant influence of emotional maturity and high levels of anxiety. Based on the analysis of obtained results of product moment correlation coefficient rxy ‘correlation with p = -0.167(0.257) > 0.05. this means that relations between the two variables are not significant. Supported also by results of interviews with the related subject of research and data in the field, says that not only emotional maturity factors that influence the level of anxiety a person in the first childbirth, but also the factor of family support, especially husbands and mothers, information about pregnancy and labor that they could get from print and electronic media and the internet which can be accessed with ease, some from their participation in the exercise group became pregnant, briefing the local health clinic doctor or midwife about childbirth and the high level of religiosity. All this is another factor which also makes the low level of anxiety to face the first delivery in mothers 17-21 years of age.

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Introduction

A War Born Family ◽

10.18574/nyu/9781479872329.003.0001 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-20

Author(s):

Kori A. Graves

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

World War Ii ◽

African Americans ◽

The United States ◽

Adopted Children ◽

Transnational Adoption ◽

World War ◽

Birth Mothers ◽

Adoptive Family ◽

Displaced Children

The introduction provides a brief history of the development of US domestic adoption, and African Americans’ roles in US and transnational adoption in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Since the professionalization of adoption in the United States largely evolved around the needs of birth mothers, children, and adoptive parents who were white, African Americans’ efforts to care for orphaned and displaced children through formal and informal adoptions has been underappreciated. The introduction describes the ways African Americans adopted children in the United States and, after World War II, foreign-born children of African American soldiers. This approach provides a foundation for understanding how African Americans’ participation in Korean transnational adoption was similar to their domestic adoption efforts and their efforts to adopt World War II GI children. It also suggests reasons why efforts to increase the professionalization and standardization of Korean transnational adoption reduced African Americans’ participation in this method of adoptive family formation.

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