The effect of a sense of intimacy on the representation of the child during pregnancy
Magdalena Gąsiorowska, Milena Gracka-Tomaszewska

Every woman has a vision of the relationship with her partner. The vision is affected by the actual behaviour of a man that can change the proportions of fear, anger, sadness, and satisfaction within the vision. The purpose of the survey described below was to verify the hypothesis that a sense of intimacy in the relationship affects the pregnant woman, and thus – affects her representation of the child. The study included pregnant women at different ages, different financial status and education, remaining in a stable relationship with a partner. Both main hypotheses have been confirmed. The results indicate that a sense of intimacy in the relationship correlates with the pregnant women’s well-being. Based on these results, it can be assumed that the better the well-being of women and the greater their sense of security in important relationships, the more they reveal a tendency to treat the child as a separate subject and see the child’s individual properties. Therefore the quality of the relationship between a woman and her partner is so important. Intimacy and care makes a woman feel safe. If she feels safe in the relationship and the relationship is based on reciprocal trust and respect, she can focus on building a bond with her unborn child. A good relationship is a space where a woman can express all the feelings growing in her during pregnancy, often contradictory and intense. The possibility of expressing the feelings favours the woman’s well-being and – as a result – helps her build a bond with her child.