Like a Mother, a book by Angela Garbes, is a must-read for all women who have never been pregnant, are considering pregnancy, are currently pregnant, have been pregnant, or for any individual who interacts with women pre- and perinatally.
Maternal-fetal attachment (MFA) is a process in which a mother-to-be engages in affiliative behaviors with her unborn child. MFA has a bearing on the dyad’s future mother-infant attachment, which in turn is necessary for adequate emotional and physical growth of the baby. Women with severe mental illness are likely to be at risk for impaired MFA.
This literature review focuses on the history of pre- and perinatal (PPN) parenting education. The topic constituted one area examined to inform four studies included in a PhD program of research that investigated factors to consider when designing, developing, and delivering PPN parenting programs for the 21st century.