The image of motherhood in women with different parenting experiences

The article presents the results of a study of the image of motherhood in women with different parenting experiences. The study was conducted on a sample of women aged 20-35 years (a total of 105 people participated) in three groups: 1) having no children, 2) pregnant with the first child, 3) having children, indicates a difference in the formed image of motherhood. Respondents were asked to finish the phrases: "Being a mother...", "Motherhood is.." and "The ideal mother..". The processing of the data obtained using the method of unfinished sentences was carried out using content analysis. Respondents of the first group (who do not have children) associate the achievement of the image of an ideal mother with concrete actions, while respondents from the third group (who have children) more often consider the image of an ideal mother to be far from reality and non-existent. But at the same time, respondents from both groups (having no children and having children) note that the ideal mother is: "loving", "happy", "loves her child". Thus, it can be concluded that the birth of the first child has a connection with the formation of the image of motherhood. This is confirmed by studies of the image and ideas of motherhood, according to which women who do not have children completely identify the image of an ideal and real mother, idealize the image of a mother.