Publication
Fathers’ relational experiences of stillbirth: Pre-natal attachment, loss and continuing bonds through use of objects
Burgess A, Murray C, Clancy A · Omega: Journal of Death and Dying · 2025
This study aimed to investigate fathers’ lived experiences of stillbirth through the lens of continuing bonds and use of objects. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six fathers who had experienced stillbirth from 20 weeks gestation. Interpretative phenomenological analysis revealed five themes: loss and continued bonds in a mother-mediated dynamic, objects as manifestations of relational and meaningful memories, exerting existence and continued connection to others, continued bond through physical presence and evolving expressions of love and fatherhood. Findings offer a novel understanding of the relationship between objects and continued bonds, where objects are seen to facilitate this bond through varying means, including physical manifestation of the deceased and representation of the father-infant relationship. The study places importance on fathers’ involvement in creating objects permeated with meaning and memories, and of validating fathers’ experiences of loss rather than considering these men merely as partners of a mother who lost their own baby. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)
Synced from the TRENDS in Pediatric Palliative Care Zotero library, curated by The Siden Research Team. ICPCN does not host or verify the full text.