‘It was a blanket of love’: How American and Italian parents represent their experience of perinatal hospice through the use of metaphors

Abstract

Abstract The loss of a child is one of the most profoundly stressful events an adult can experience, but perinatal hospice may be an important resource for the family’s wellbeing. The aim of this study was to understand how a group of American and Italian parents of infants affected by life-limiting or terminal conditions and treated with personalised comfort measures represents, with a metaphorical statement, the experience of perinatal hospice care. Thirty five questionnaires were collected and included 13 parents from Italy and 22 from the US. Parents represent their experience as positive and rich with lovely family moments and, although it is also a hard path, they consider it as an important gift. Other metaphors elected were related to spirituality and transcendence, underlying the need of parents to express and share their spiritual values and beliefs. Finally, parents also perceived an overall support from care providers and felt as if they were part of the same family.