The Lived Experience of Mothering After Prison

A phenomenological study of the experience of mothering after prison was conducted over the course of one year. Field study data were integrated with phenomenological interview data to provide an in-depth understanding of the experience. Three major themes emerged: Doing Mothering Right; Family: A Double-Edged Sword; and The Honeymoon is Over. One theme, Mothering Beyond the Honeymoon, emerged for the two participants who were able to successfully reunite with their children and live out their ideal of mothering. Mothering after prison proved to be far more difficult than any of the mothers had anticipated. Doing Mothering Right reflected the ideal of mothering the participants had constructed in prison. The participants had been parented poorly during their childhoods, as well as poorly parented their children prior to their incarceration. Discipline, having children learn from their mistakes, and rebuilding the mother/child relationship were integral subthemes in the participants conception of mothering right. Unresolved, complex family issues interfered with the ability of most of the participants to live out their ideal of mothering and led to custody battles and broken trust. This disappointing reunification paved the pathway for the honeymoon to end, whereby the painful separation lasted beyond the prison term and the participants resorted to past destructive behaviors such as drug abuse and the inability to make responsible choices. Two participants were able to mother beyond the honeymoon, regaining custody of their children and maternal self-confidence. Support of family, friends, and the community appeared to be the major factor in their successful reunification. Recommendations for practice include family counseling, anticipatory guidance regarding maternal reunification, and the provision of support systems.