The unexpected happening. Phantasmatic aspects in the premature infant parental relationship

Journal title INTERAZIONI
Author/s Clelia De Vita
Publishing Year 2023 Issue 2023/1 Language Italian
Pages 18 P. 106-123 File size 195 KB
DOI 10.3280/INT2023-001009
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The work proposes an investigation into prematurity from a phantasmatic and unconscious point of view. Prematurity frustrates the narcissism of the parental couple and requires anchor-ing to a good internalized object; it can put the parent in crisis, recalling negative aspects of internalized parental figures; the parental couple may project onto the child negative aspects relating to the parental couple or sibling, especially when the parenting scenario, constructed by the couple, is of the narcissistic type. Premature birth can also be read as a "catastrophic change" that alters the container-contained relationship. This change can be read both as the result of some containment difficulties on the part of the couple, but also as a disruptive factor that can lead to the rupture of the relationship between the parents. The theme of prematurity is associated with twins, since it is not uncommon for a twin pregnancy to end in a premature birth. Through the synthesis of a case, seen in consultation, in which twinning and prematurity overlap under the banner of the unexpected, hypotheses are made on the experiences of the parental couple starting from the material acquired during the consultation.

Keywords: prematurity, parenthood, twinning, container, ghostly.

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Clelia De Vita, Il compiersi dell’inatteso. Aspetti fantasmatici nella relazione genitori-neonato prematuro in "INTERAZIONI" 1/2023, pp 106-123, DOI: 10.3280/INT2023-001009