Ghosts in the nursery: a case study of the maternal representations of a woman who killed her baby

Abstract

The maternal representations as described by Stern (1995:171-190) are used in an extreme case to illustrate the link between depression and pathogenic maternal representations. The 'motherhood constellation' focuses on the woman's representation of her mother as mother-of-herself-as-child, herself-as-a-mother and her representations of her child. Depression impacts seriously and negatively on the woman's representations of herself as-a-mother. Destructive mothering influences the mother's representation of herself-as-a-mother and it is likely that her child will also receive destructive mothering. Depression during pregnancy could be a warning sign that unrealistic expectations are being placed on the pregnancy and/or the baby to improve the life of the mother, or that pathogenic representations are present or developing. Depression can lead to the use of splitting and projection as defence mechanisms: this involves that parts with which a depressed person cannot identify are projected onto a baby, and this is likely to result in abuse, neglect or even the death of a child. The early identification of pathogenic maternal representations and depression may make it possible to promote infant mental health.