The discrepancies in mother’s and father’s imagination of the prenatal life of a baby

Introduction. Course of pregnancy, positive attitude of the parents of an unborn child affect to a major
extent the physical and mental development of the child in the womb-life period.
Reading publications, watching films about the child’s life in the mother’s womb, participation in ultrasonography
by both parents affect the earlier cognition of a child and shape the visions of the child.
Establishing contact with an unborn child by both of the parents stimulates the child’s development, as
well as creates positive emotions and positive thinking about the child in parents. Mother and father
perceive their unborn child as a rightful member of the family who requires their care. Both mother and
father crave contact with their child, as each of them wishes to emphasize their role in the child’s life.
The cravings of the parents focus on the wish for their child to be healthy and happy and, therefore, they
idealize the child in their imagination.
Due to the fact that the roles of mothers and fathers are different, there are also differences in experiencing
pregnancy and in the perceptions of pregnancy. However, similarities are also present.

Aim. The understanding of the parents’ visions of an unborn child and the life of the child in the mother’s
womb, plus understanding of the differences in the visions by mothers and fathers.

Material and methods. The research was carried out on a group of 20 women and 20 men, participants
of classes at a childbirth school. The group has been chosen according to the following criteria:
expectation of the first child, third trimester of pregnancy, absence of the so called ‘neonatal/ obstetric
history’ in women, i.e. miscarriages and abortions, infertility treatment. An interview in the form of
a questionnaire, psycho-drawing and observations were used in the research.

Results. Based on the received information, it has been found out that mothers read more publications
about the life of an unborn child compared to fathers. All of the interviewed women have undergone an
ultrasonographic test of the foetus in the presence of the respective children’ fathers. Parents were not interested
in repeating the test. Seeing the picture of a child in the monitor affected the imagination of women
more than the imagination of men. The forms of establishing contact with an unborn child by mothers and
fathers are similar. Future parents have also seen differences in the child’s reaction to positive and negative
situations experienced by the mother. When answering the questions in the questionnaire and making the
psycho-drawing of their vision of the child, women were more expressive and imaginative than men.

Conclusions.

1. Both similarities and differences were found in the visions of the child’s womb-life by mothers and fathers.

2. Nurses and midwifes working in the childbirth schools may affect the shaping of the parents’ visions of an
unborn child by choosing the subjects of lectures, exercises or publications for parents expecting a child.

3. Women expecting a child easier project their child visions. They reflect more fantasy and feeling in the visions.

4. Future mothers may easier encourage the child to reply to the attempts of contact with him/her than
fathers.