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| Anticipatory Grief |
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| Written by Corinne O'Flynn | |
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When you become aware that your newborn or unborn child is ill and is expected to soon die, there is sometimes a pre-death sort of mourning that occurs called anticipatory grief. You begin to accept your baby's death, think of a future without your baby, mourning their future absence and the all of the dreams and hopes you had associated to their life with you.
While it is not something that everyone will experience, anticipatory grief is a normal part of the mourning process that can occur when faced with the news that your baby is expected to die. It encompasses many of the same facets as the grief one feels after the loss. It is normal to experience depression, extreme concern for your baby, and to begin adjusting to the idea of life without your child. The grief that you will experience after your baby has died is not the same grief that is experienced before the loss. If you experience anticipatory grief, it will have no bearing on the intensity or the longevity of the grief you will cope with after your child has died. It is also very different from the grief that occurs after an unplanned death. When your baby's death occurs without warning, it can be overwhelming and this often can interfere with the your abillity to function normally. Parents whose child has died unexpectedly may not realize the impact of their loss completely. While the reality of the loss is understood, the ability to accept the loss may be compromised initially. ~ |
