The next baby: parents' responses to perinatal experiences subsequent to a stillbirth.

This study examines the responses experienced in the perinatal period by parents who have had an infant subsequent to a stillbirth. Interview findings from eight couples in a stillbirth study group (SSG) who had this experience and eight couples in a comparison group (CG) whose live-born children were delivered at similar time intervals as the SSG were compared. In contrast to a comparison group, half of the SSG mothers did not make preparations for their babies until after delivery and seven of eight SSG mothers wanted the hospital staff to recognize their previous loss and give them special understanding. The parents in the SSG reported that because of their loss, they were likely to spend more time (p less than 0.01), to be more attentive to fussing (p less than 0.01), and to hold their babies more (p less than 0.01). Over half of the SSG parents also noted that after having another baby, they experienced greater relaxation, happiness, and closeness with their spouse. After their subsequent baby, the SSG parents observed that thinking about the stillbirth was easier, but resented being told by others to feel grateful.