Preparing for motherhood: a role for occupational therapy

Abstract

Parenting as an occupation is significant as it can influence the overall development of a child. Clients with mental illness may find it challenging to cope with the demands of parenting. Occupational therapy can assist women with mental illness in performing their role as a mother. Preparing for motherhood can ensure that the mother gets the opportunity to nurture her natural maternal instinct and the child can receive good emotional and physical environment which would lay the foundation for its future emotional health. Clients with mental illness and children of parents with mental illness can both benefit through occupational therapy in preparing for motherhood. Occupational therapy with its unique holistic approach can make it possible for women with mental illness to have a good self-concept of themselves as mothers through competency building and skills training.

Keywords:

• Mental illness
• role development
• parenting
• caregiving.