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Thirty five middle class parents, pregnant for the first time, were recruited from childbirth classes for participation in a shortterm longitudinal study of parents' constructions of their infants' personalities during pregnancy and in early infancy. Here, we report qualitative findings about parents' descriptions of their infants' personalities before and after birth, as well as descriptions of their relationships with their infants and their first feelings of love for their infants. Descriptions of infant personalities were remarkably vivid before and after birth, but there were changes in the prominence of several attributes over time.

Over 30,000 children die each year from catastrophic illness. Groups for the bereaved have arisen to address the needs of family members following the profound loss of a child. The authors review the commonly held notions of "normal" and "pathological" mourning and their special application to bereaved parents. The case of two women who participated in their fifth group for bereaved parents are presented with the meanings of their repeated attendance examined in the context of incomplete mourning. Implications for professionals working with bereaved parents are discussed.