“I gave birth to him and he gave me my life”: Study of occupational transition linked to motherhood of two women with mental disorders

Abstract

Introduction: The number of mothers with mental disorders is increasing. Motherhood entails major changes in women´s lives, potentially creating different occupational needs and an emerging field for Occupational Therapy. Objective: To identify and describe the occupational needs during occupational transition linked to motherhood, from the perspective of two women with mental disorders in Galicia, Spain. Method: Qualitative with phenomenological approach, using conversational techniques for data collection, and thematic analysis. Results: “Daily life before the change” and “I gave birth to him and he gave me my life”, the emerged themes, transversely describe occupational needs experienced by participants in the occupational transition process linked to motherhood. Conclusion: We discuss the mediators of occupational transition, its complexity and a critical perspective of participants' experiences as one more experience within the diversity of motherhood; and conclude with the implications for occupational therapy.