How Midwives Can Help the Women Who Experiences Crisis and Grief?
What is Loss?
Loss is defined as having something or someone leave or be taken away from you, a feeling of grief when something is gone.
What is Grief?
Grief is a multifaceted response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or something that has died, to which a bond or affection was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, it also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, cultural, spiritual and philosophical dimensions.
How Midwives Can Help the Women Who Experiences Crisis and Grief?
Midwives can help the women who experiences crisis and grief:
Each one of us has an individual style of coping with painful experiences. The list below may help you generate ideas about how to manage your feelings of crisis and grief.
- Talk to family or friends,
- Seek counseling,
- Read poetry or books,
- Engage in social activities,
- Exercise,
- Eat healthy, good foods,
- Seek spiritual support,
- Take time to relax,
- Join a support group,
- Listen to music,
- Be patient with yourself,
- Let yourself feel grief.
Supporting others who are grieving:
As the shock of the loss fades, there is a tendency on the part of the griever to feel more pain and sadness. Well-meaning friends may avoid discussing the subject due to their own discomfort with grief or their fear of making the person feel bad. As a result, people who are grieving often feel more isolated or lonely in their grief.
People who are grieving are likely to fluctuate between wanting some time to themselves and wanting closeness with others. They may want someone to talk to about their feelings. Below are some ways that you can help a friend experiencing loss.
- Be a good listener,
- Ask about their feelings,
- Just sit with them,
- Share your feelings,
- Ask about their loss,
- Remember the loss,
- Make telephone calls,
- Acknowledge the pain,
- Let them feel sad,
- Be available when you can,
- Do not minimize grief,
- Talk about your own losses.
Nursing Strategies to Help Families Prepare for the Birth of an Abnormal Infant:
Nursing strategies to help families prepare for the birth of an abnormal infant:
- Accept the family’s decision to have an abnormal child; avoid imposing one’s personal values or opinion.
- Identify the potential for crisis related to birth of an abnormal infant, even in the best of circumstances.
- Make certain that a consistent collaborative approach is used among all healthcare providers.
- Make certain that the client is well educated about the potential status of the infant.
- Assist them in identifying ways in which they will inform others about the infant.
- Provide referrals to counseling and to’ support groups, such as parents of children with down syndrome.
- Make certain that preparations are made prenatally, if the infant’s condition may be expected to required specialized equipment and services.
- Discuss realistically the positive aspects of the expected infant. Assist the parents to have the best delivery and early parenting experience possible.
