From the Lending Library
c.a. reiser, M.S.
The books reviewed in this issue of WiSSPers are,
in my opinion, classics in parental bereavement
literature. The word classics
implies exceptionally good and/or referenced frequently
in other resources. These resources are those which may
be considered a foundation for any discussion about grief
following the delivery of a stillborn infant. You will
note that none of the books reviewed solely address
stillbirth. A future <Lending Library= will be devoted
to materials specifically dealing with stillbirth.
Comments about the choices here and those to be
included in future issues are welcome.
Hagan Arnold, Joan and Penelope Buschman Gemma. A
Child Dies: A Portrait of Family Grief. Aspen Systems
Corporation, Rockville, MD, 1987 (out of print).
The first few chapters, which cover the meaning of
loss in one=s life and the meaning of children within a
family, serve as background for the remainder of this
book which looks at the impact on the family of the loss
of a child at various stages, from infancy
through adolescence. Stillbirth is included in the
discussion of all infant deaths. The final chapters are
directed towards aiding the professional in 1)
under-standing oneself and the implications of one=s
actions and values on families, and 2) a somewhat
theoretical framework on how one should approach working
with the bereaved.
The authors rely on bereavement literature and also
the experiences of families with whom they have worked in
their nursing roles. A Portrait of Family Grief is
an appropriate title, as the text includes the striking
use of illustrations and photos, as well as poetry and
excerpts from many forms of writing. Rather than being
intrusive, the inclusion of various art forms augments
the text and evokes memories in the reader of how loss
impacts us all.
Sensitively written and relatively thorough
considering its size (157 pages), it is a wonderful
resource for a bereavement lending library. Although
written primarily for professionals, its use of personal
experiences may benefit families.
Sarnoff-Schniff, Harriet. The Bereaved Parent.
Penguin Books, 1977-1978. $9.00 (paperback only), New
York, NY.
Harriet Sarnoff-Schniff, herself a bereaved parent,
uses her own experience and that of many other bereaved
parents as the primary source for her book. Although well
researched, the telling of the personal accounts is one
of The Bereaved Parent=s greatest strengths.
Sharing the lives of others who have suffered the ?most
unnatural of disasters,@ the loss of a child, and yet
survived offers a message of hope. In chronicling the
painful journey bereaved parents travel, the author
provides many practical suggestions and examples of what
helped parents rebuild their lives. In the words of
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, while ?The Bereaved Parent
is a beautiful book...It does not make death beautiful,
it does not console in an unrealistic way -- but it tells
the truth -- and is very reassuring and helpful because
of it.@
There are at least 70 families whose stories are
shared, yet none is a family who experienced stillbirth,
although there are occasional references to other infant
deaths. Any recommendation of this book to a family of a
stillborn infant should be prefaced by saying that the
lack of shared stillbirth experiences does not negate or
invalidate that their loss is as real and as painful as
those that are included.
Aires, Philippe. Western Attitudes toward Death:
From the Middle Ages to the Present. Johns Hopkins
University Press, 1974. $9.95 (paperback only).
This book, a series of invited essays sponsored by the
Johns Hopkins Symposium in Comparative History, is a
scholarly presentation of changes in societal attitudes
towards death over the span of almost 800 years. Aires
traces a change from the perspective during the Middle
Ages (~12th century) where death was accepted as a
?familiar collective destiny@ to the 20th century
attitude that death is a stranger to be feared and
avoided. Literature and various art forms are examined
for their depiction of death and its rituals.
While these essays have no practical value they are
fascinating reading for anyone interested in a
philosophical and historical perspective of death.
Klaus, Marshall H. and John H. Kennell. Parent-Infant
Bonding. C.V. Mosby, 2nd edition 1982, 1st edition
1974 (out of print).
Klaus and Kennell report research, their own and that
of others, about birth, interaction, and attachment. They
include detailed examinations of representative, lengthy
patient interviews to illustrate certain common reactions
or issues. The first half of the text provides a
theoretical framework for working with families when
pregnancy labor and delivery are relatively uneventful.
The remainder of the book is devoted to caring for
parents when the unexpected occurs -- prematurity, birth
defects, and stillbirth or neonatal death.
Since not everyone may agree with the conclusions or
concepts presented, expert consultants reviewed each
chapter and their comments are scattered throughout to
expand on the text or explain a differing opinion, a
technique which adds to the value of this resource.
Concrete suggestions and practical considerations for
working with families in the pre- and perinatal period
are also included.
Peppers, Larry G and Ronald J. Knapp. How to Go On
Living After the Death of a Baby [(formerly called Motherhood
and Mourning), Peachtree Publishers Limited, Atlanta,
GA, 1985, $9.95] is the result of the authors= study,
through interviews and surveys of bereaved mothers who
have experienced the death of an infant in the perinatal
period. It is one of the earliest and largest
documentation efforts on maternal bereavement following
reproductive loss. The stated purpose was to stimulate
the awareness of the tragedy of fetal/infant death, help
parents understand the normalcy of their feelings through
the realization they are not alone, and to serve as a
practical guide for families, friends and professionals
by directing them to supportive interactions with the
bereaved mother.
These goals are accomplished excellently by the
telling of many mothers= experiences through their own
words. The information presented is, however, largely
anecdotal; and there remains a need among stillbirth
bereavement literature for studies with statistical
rigor.
Despite this criticism, How to Go On Living After
the Death of a Baby remains high on the list of
<must haves= for any bereave-ment library, as it
serves as the basis for many currently used interventions
with bereaved parents.
Correction: In the last issue of WiSSPers we
provided incorrect address information about the National
SHARE Office and ordering information for one of their
publications, Bittersweet Hello Goodbye. The
National SHARE address is:
National SHARE Office
St. Joseph=s Hospital Center
300 1st Capitol Dr.
St. Charles, MO 63301-2893
Bittersweet Hello Goodbye is available directly
through SHARE headquarters at $19.95 plus shipping.
We are sorry for any inconvenience.
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