"It's like giving him a piece of me.": Exploring UK and Israeli women's accounts of motherhood and feeding.

OBJECTIVE: The present study explored how Israeli and UK mothers integrate feeding into their conceptualisations of mothering 2-6 months post-partum. BACKGROUND: The nature and importance of motherhood is subject to differential contextual, cultural, political and historical influences. We set out to compare experiences of motherhood and feeding between these two countries using a qualitative approach. METHODS: Forty one women (mean age 36.4 ± 2.7 years) from Israel and the UK, mostly married or in a committed relationship were interviewed about their experience of pregnancy, motherhood and feeding. Data were analysed thematically. RESULTS: The experience of motherhood in the early postnatal period was dominated, for all mothers, by the experience of breastfeeding and clustered around three representations of mothering, namely; 1) a devoted mother who ignores her own needs; 2) a mother who is available for her infant but acknowledges her needs as well; and 3) a struggling mother for whom motherhood is a burden. Such representations existed within both cultural groups and sometimes coexisted within the same mothers. UK women described more struggles within motherhood whereas a tendency towards idealising motherhood was observed for Israeli women. CONCLUSION: There are similarities in the ways that UK and Israeli women experienced motherhood and feeding. Where family life is strongly emphasized, mothers reported extremes of idealism and burden and associated an "ideal" mother with a breastfeeding mother. Where motherhood is represented as just one of many roles women take up, they are more likely to represent a "good enough" approach to mothering. Understanding the experience of motherhood and feeding in different cultural settings is important to provide the context for postnatal care specifically where mothers are reluctant to share problems or difficulties encountered.

A "carne" (chair) como referência ontológica da "mãe suficientemente boa": aproximando Merleau-Ponty e Winnicott / The "flesh" (chair) as ontological reference for "good enough mother": in order to approach Merleau-Ponty and Winnicott

O artigo pretende desenvolver o argumento de que a noção de carne (chair, em francês) - que constitui o conceito mor da ontologia selvagem de Maurice Merleau-Ponty - pode funcionar como uma referência ontológica para a noção winnicottiana de mãe suficientemente boa. Para tanto, numa primeira parte descreve-se a noção de carne; em seguida, a noção de mãe suficientemente boa para, por fim, articular os dois níveis de teorização: o ontológico e o ôntico, numa relação em que um nível referenda o outro, discriminando, nesse mesmo processo, o espelho materno winnicottiano do lacaniano (já que este último implica, necessariamente, uma alienação do bebê no desejo da mãe).

This article intends to develop the argument that the notion of flesh (chair, in French) - which constitutes the principal concept of Merleau-Ponty's savage ontology - can work as an ontological reference for Winnicott's notion of good enough mother. For this purpose, it describes the notion of flesh; then, the notion of good enough mother, to finally articulate both levels of theorization: the ontological and the ontic ones, in a relation of mutual reference. At the same time, it discriminates Winnicott's conception of maternal mirror from Lacan's one (since this one implies, necessarily, an alienation of the baby in the mother's desire).

"Um espaço onde as bruxas podem ser contidas": reflexões acerca de alguns conceitos da teoria de Klein e Winnicott em um caso clínico / "A place where witches can be contained": reflections about some concepts of Klein and Winnicott's theory in a clinical case

O presente artigo foi desenvolvido a partir do atendimento clínico de um paciente de 05 anos, que ficou em psicoterapia durante 01 ano e 04 meses, com frequência de uma vez por semana em uma escola de educação infantil. O estudo buscou compreender aspectos presentes no desenvolvimento emocional primitivo e das primeiras relações de objeto. Considera-se que o setting e a relação terapêutica poderiam funcionar como um espaço de ilusão para a criança. Destaca-se ainda a importância primordial do brincar na sessão. Como forma de compreender melhor esses aspectos do caso, foram utilizados alguns conceitos da teoria de Klein e Winnicott. O encaminhamento foi realizado pela professora da escola, pois acreditava que a criança tinha problemas de aprendizagem e parecia no "mundo da lua". A psicoterapia propiciou um espaço de ressignificação das experiências primitivas através do brincar e do vínculo estabelecido com a terapeuta(AU)

This article was developed from the clinical case of a 5-year-old patient, in psychoanalytical psychotherapy for one year, once a week, in a pre-school setting. The article aimed to understand aspects of the emotional development and the early object relations. It is considered that the setting and the therapeutic relationship could work as a space of illusion for the child. It was also emphasized the major importance of playing in the session. In order to better understand these aspects of the case, the author used concepts of Klein and Winnicott’s theory. The school teacher asked for the treatment, because she believed the child had learning problems and appeared to be “disconnected” to what surrounds him. The psychotherapy favored the creation of an area of redefinition of the early experiences through play and the bond established with the therapist(AU)

Continuité d’être et primitive agony: le bébé winnicottien et le psychotique / Continuidade e agonia primitiva do ser: Winnicott e o bebê psicótico / Continuity and primitive agony of being

Neste artigo pretende-se apresentar a especificidade da teoria psicanalítica por Winnicott, considerando que seu pensamento e sua prática estão atravessados por intuições e questões fenomenológicas que são próximas da Daseinsanalyse, tais como : continuidade de ser, mãe suficientemente boa e Holding, transicionalidade e área da ilusão.

L’objectif de cet article est de présenter la spécificité de la théorie psychanalytique chez Winnicott, étant donné que sa pensée et sa pratique sont traversées d’intuitions et de questions phénoménologiques qui sont proches de la Daseinsanalyse, à savoir: la continuité d’être, la mère suffisamment bonne et le Holding, le transitionnel et l’aire de l’illusion.

The purpose of this article is to present the specificity of Winnicott’s psychoanalytical theory, taking into account the fact that throughout his theory and practice are found intuitions and phenomenological issues which are close to the Daseinanalysis, such as the continuity of being, the good-enough mother and Holding, transitionality and the area of illusion.

Continuité d’être et primitive agony: le bébé winnicottien et le psychotique / Continuidade e agonia primitiva do ser: Winnicott e o bebê psicótico / Continuity and primitive agony of being

Neste artigo pretende-se apresentar a especificidade da teoria psicanalítica por Winnicott, considerando que seu pensamento e sua prática estão atravessados por intuições e questões fenomenológicas que são próximas da Daseinsanalyse, tais como : continuidade de ser, mãe suficientemente boa e Holding, transicionalidade e área da ilusão.(AU)

L’objectif de cet article est de présenter la spécificité de la théorie psychanalytique chez Winnicott, étant donné que sa pensée et sa pratique sont traversées d’intuitions et de questions phénoménologiques qui sont proches de la Daseinsanalyse, à savoir: la continuité d’être, la mère suffisamment bonne et le Holding, le transitionnel et l’aire de l’illusion.(AU)

The purpose of this article is to present the specificity of Winnicott’s psychoanalytical theory, taking into account the fact that throughout his theory and practice are found intuitions and phenomenological issues which are close to the Daseinanalysis, such as the continuity of being, the good-enough mother and Holding, transitionality and the area of illusion.(AU)