A Mother's Experience as a Foster Parent after a Stillbirth : The Narrative of Ms. A

シザン　ヲ　ヘタ　ハハオヤ　ガ　サトオヤ　トナル　ケイケン　Aサン　ノ　カタリ　カラ

Japanese Society for Clinical Phenomenology

This study clarifies the process by which a mother emerged from crisis after a stillbirth and describes her experience in choosing to become a foster parent after her stillbirth. A case study was conducted based on the narrative of Ms. A, who became a foster parent after experiencing a stillbirth, to describe her experience from a phenomenological perspective. In her narrative, Ms. A outlined how her relationship with her medical doctor supported her while she was in existential crisis due to the stillbirth. Specifically, the relationship with her doctor, who treated the deceased child as if he were a living child, brought her a sense of security. The attending physician’s attitude that “parents wait for their children with their hearts already made up” and “not drawing a line between life and death for any child” formed the foundation of the philosophy that supported Ms. A. She created her own philosophy, and acted in a way that embodied it, while also “inheriting” the attending physician’s relationship and attitude. As a result, she became a foster parent who did not draw a “line in the sand” and accepted any child. The philosophy that supports Ms. A, and her desire to become a foster parent who accepts even handicapped children, was created through a combination of experiences. In addition to her encounter with her doctor, she met “wonderful” parents and children who were living with disabilities and suffering. The change in her perception of her husband, and her encounters with children living in institutions with fear and loneliness, were also important experiences that helped her decide to become a foster parent. Through a combination of these experiences and interpersonal relationships, Ms. A drew her own meaning from her doctor’s involvement and attitude, developed a philosophy and hope, and emerged from the crisis of stillbirth by becoming a foster parent.