“I Did Everything I Could”: A Qualitative Study of Maternal Narratives of Neonatal Death and Resilience

Abstract

This study adopts a Husserl’s phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of bereaved mothers in District Doda, India. In a patriarchal society where women bear primary child-rearing responsibilities, mothers experience a compounded burden of grief after neonatal loss. The study highlights their emotional and psychological struggles, as well as systemic and cultural challenges. Using Lazarus and Folkman’s stress and coping theory and Braun & Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis, in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 purposively selected mothers. Six key themes emerged: emotional and psychological impact, health-related behavioural changes, healthcare barriers, gender struggles and lack of support, social and cultural stigma, and coping and resilience. Despite the pain, mothers demonstrated resilience rooted in faith, interpersonal bonds, and emotional adjustment. The study calls for urgent social and mental health support, healthcare reforms, and culturally sensitive interventions to support grieving mothers in rural areas and reframe how maternal bereavement is addressed in policy and practice.