Abstract
Objective
this study aimed at unveiling the existential movement of a mother after her child's death as a result of a home accident.
Method
it was a research study based on the theoretical-philosophical-methodological framework of Martin Heidegger's phenomenology, whose data collection occurred between May and June 2017 through a phenomenological interview with 10 mothers whose children died as a result of a home accident.
Results
from comprehension of the reports, three themes emerged: Remembering the deep suffering when facing the child's death and the first days/months without them; Reliving the pain in the present, through the child's daily absence and important dates and objects/symbols; and Anticipating that pain and yearning for the deceased will never disappear.
Conclusion and implications for the practice
time is not a predictor for the elaboration of maternal bereavement. Thus, the maternal experience is composed of a set of meanings, which involve multiple factors and generate important repercussions throughout life. From the perspective of care promotion, the need to expand the understanding and the actions for welcoming bereaved mothers emerges, reflecting on temporality as part of maternal bereavement.
Keywords:
Life-Changing Events; Maternal Behavior; Child; Bereavement; Death