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Pregnancy may pose a number of physical and healthcare-related challenges for autistic people, who experience differences in sensory processing and can face barriers to accessing healthcare. However, little research has explored autistic pregnancy experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 autistic and 21 non-autistic women during the third trimester of pregnancy. Thematic analysis revealed that the autistic group experienced heightened sensory and physical symptoms during pregnancy compared with the non-autistic group. Autistic participants were sometimes reluctant to disclose their diagnosis to healthcare professionals and felt that professionals lacked autism knowledge. While both groups appreciated clear information about their care, autistic participants further highlighted the need for detailed information and being given time to process verbal information. The autistic group also highlighted the need for sensory adjustments in healthcare settings. The findings indicate ways in which prenatal healthcare can be improved for autistic people, including sensory and communication adjustments. There is a need for greater autism-related training for prenatal healthcare professionals to ensure that autistic people receive appropriate support. Little is known about how autistic people experience pregnancy. We interviewed 24 autistic and 21 non-autistic women during pregnancy to find out about their experiences. Autistic participants had more physical difficulties, such as nausea and pain, during pregnancy than non-autistic participants. They also sometimes felt that healthcare professionals, such as midwives, did not have a good understanding of autism and they did not always feel comfortable telling professionals about their autism diagnosis. Autistic participants told us that they needed professionals to communicate with them clearly and to make changes during appointments such as dimming lights. This research shows that autistic people would benefit from changes to pregnancy appointments and that more training about autism would help maternity care professionals to support autistic people during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers the ideology surrounding 'good mother' expectations for mothers from British, lower socio-economic classes who have involvement from children's services due to their (ex) partners' violent behaviour. What was expected from 'good mothers' historically and currently is considered, before specific attention is paid to the expectations set for mothers who are known to children's services. The research aims were to understand what these mothers themselves consider a 'good mother' to be. Fifteen mothers from the UK who had had involvement with Children's Services were interviewed; all participants defined themselves as working class and their ages ranged from 20 to 48. The majority of participants defined their ethnicity as white, with two participants choosing 'mixed'. Data were reviewed thematically and five main themes arose. This article explores that, whilst some mothers feel able to re-work the expectations placed on them to make them fit with their daily lives, this was not true for the majority of the participants within this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family building by bisexual mothers is a neglected area of research, yet this is an important aspect of life course development that may reciprocally influence the sexual identity development of bisexual women and family processes around parenting. Family map drawings (genograms) and interview data were collected from eight cisgender women from the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland who spoke about their bisexual parenting experience and family relationships. Thematic narrative analysis indicates that participants depict both heteronormative (traditional) extended kinship networks (radiating out from a family core centering on them and their children) and family of choice network features. Nonetheless certain features appear to be more indirectly presented on some participants’ family maps: namely, complex or marginalized (erased) relationships with additional partners that may sustain sexual identity but contradict both heteronormative and homonormative presentations of family life. Our discussion considers the difficult issues bisexual mothers face in maintaining both their family relationships and a marginalized sexual identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family building by bisexual mothers is a neglected area of research, yet this is an important aspect of life course development that may reciprocally influence the sexual identity development of bisexual women and family processes around parenting. Family map drawings (genograms) and interview data were collected from eight cisgender women from the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland who spoke about their bisexual parenting experience and family relationships. Thematic narrative analysis indicates that participants depict both heteronormative (traditional) extended kinship networks (radiating out from a family core centering on them and their children) and family of choice network features. Nonetheless certain features appear to be more indirectly presented on some participants’ family maps: namely, complex or marginalized (erased) relationships with additional partners that may sustain sexual identity but contradict both heteronormative and homonormative presentations of family life. Our discussion considers the difficult issues bisexual mothers face in maintaining both their family relationships and a marginalized sexual identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question of how migrants’ language use affects their ethnic identity has received considerable attention in the literature. There is, however, little understanding of how this relationship manifests or is negotiated in interethnic families. This article presents an in-depth exploration of Spanish mothers’ experiences of Spanish- and English-language interactions with their English-born children. Semistructured interviews were conducted with Spanish mothers living in Britain in interethnic partnerships and transcripts were subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis. Analysis reveals a process of identity change where participants’ shifting ethnic identifications with host and heritage culture is intimately related to their language use with their children. Pivotal to this process is the participants’ need to maintain their “Spanish mother” identity, a desire that can only be fulfilled by transferring their heritage language to their children and speaking it with them. Findings reveal how this dynamic affects perception of family roles, relationship quality, and psychological well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim is to provide an understanding of the experience of women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who have made the transition to motherhood. A total of 22 mothers with IBD were recruited from around the United Kingdom. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed using thematic analysis. The central concept—Blurred Lines—offers a novel frame for understanding the transition to motherhood with IBD through identifying parallels between having IBD and becoming, and being, a mother. Parallels clustered into three main themes: Need for Readiness, Lifestyle Changes, and Monitoring Personal and Physical Development. Hence, women with IBD are in some ways well prepared for the challenges of motherhood even though, as a group, they tend to restrict their reproductive choices. We recommend health professionals initiate conversations about reproduction early and provide a multidisciplinary approach to pregnancy and IBD in which women have confidence that their ongoing treatment will be integrated successfully with their maternity care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]