Intimacy is an important component of a partnership, setting it apart from other, equally important relationships. The birth of a child is a milestone in a partnership that enriches the relationship. Diametrically, the loss of a child changes the homeostasis of the partnership and puts it to an important test that can strengthen or destroy the relationship. In the aftermath of the loss of a child, partners face a long period of mourning, where it is essential to find and re-evaluate their identity and find a new sense of purpose.
In this master's thesis, we explored the changes in intimacy and the mourning process in the partnership after the loss of a child. Based on the predefined qualification criteria we conducted the study on five participants in a form of an interview, collecting individual experiences of the interviewees. The study showed that the loss of a child brings positive changes in intimacy and forms a unique bond in the partnership. Mourning has proved to be a universal process and has been greatly influenced by the circumstances of death. Sudden deaths caused more stress and resulted in a prolonged period of shock and individual coping with grief in the initial phase. The expected death, however, brought the partners together during the treatment of their child, and they continued to mourn together after the death. Communication, time and listening have proved to be key factors in the change of intimacy, as well as in the mourning process. The results show a fostering of honest communication between the partners and the family, sharing memories and feelings about the lost child or sibling. Furthermore, care for living children proved to be an important factor affecting the outcome of the grieving. The greatest support for the participants during the grieving process came from mothers with a similar experience of losing a child. Each of the interviewees had formed lasting bonds with their deceased child. Lastly, reading literature on death, the afterlife and the journey of the soul proved to be an extremely important factor in coping with loss.
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