Engaging with Uncertainty and Unresolved Meanings During the Transition to Motherhood

The transition to motherhood is often understood as an uncertain and vulnerable time. So much is shocking and new, and important decisions need to be made despite uncertain outcomes. However, the psychological implications of uncertain meanings during transition are little understood. This chapter describes a study which explores new mothers’ unresolved experiences, termed “experiences of not-understanding”. The author considers the implications of the findings for existential philosophy and vice versa. It is suggested that mothers’ capacity for courageously facing the murkiness of uncertainty or unresolved experiences can help them to better connect with themselves and their babies, and begin to forge maternal identities based on their own values. The findings challenge those maternal discourses which view unresolvedness as a sign of pathology or incompetence.