Abstract

Studies have established that premature childbirth has major consequences in the way mothers experience their role. They live through intense feelings of which the most important are loss, guilt and anxiety. This article investigates the effects that experience has on the preferences and choices in combining la bour and care. The analysis is based on qualitative research. The research results indicate that premature childbirth leads mothers to a very uniform pattern of preferences and choices for the combination of labour and care in the initial post maternity period. They revert to the traditional image of “ideal motherhood”, although due to very specific circumstances, they experience huge difficulties in reaching this ideal. Based on the experience of the actual choice, a typology of mothers of a prematurely born child is composed.

How to Cite:

Vluymans, C., (2005) “De combinatie van arbeid en zorg bij moeders met een prematuur kind”, Tijdschrift voor Sociologie 26(4), 301–327. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/sociologos.86640