In plain words
The dual process model describes grief as a back-and-forth. One side is facing the loss, such as crying, remembering, or feeling its weight. The other side is restoring daily life, such as work, chores, and planning. People move between these two in cycles, often without choosing to. Infant care gives constant restoration demands, which can change when and how grief shows up. A mother may feel grief strongly in a quiet moment and then be pulled back into feeds and tasks. This pattern is normal. It does not mean the grief is less real. Help is available for a mother who feels stuck, or who has thoughts of harming herself. can be called or texted at any hour, and a provider can be called the same day.
The deeper version
The dual process model, proposed by Stroebe and Schut (Death Studies, 1999), describes oscillation between loss-oriented coping, including grief work and attention to the deceased, and restoration-oriented coping, including attention to new roles and daily life. The authors argue that healthy adaptation depends on flexible movement between the two. Applied to perinatal loss, infant care supplies sustained restoration demands that may modulate expression and timing of grief. Stroebe and Schut (Omega, 2010) reviewed a decade of empirical work, finding support for the oscillation hypothesis in bereavement generally, though much of the work is in adult spousal loss. Its specific application to pregnancy and infant loss is extrapolated from that base.
Where it comes up
What mothers here say about dual process model
No one has posted under this term yet.
Sources
- Stroebe MS, Schut H — The dual process model of coping with bereavement: rationale and description. Death Studies, 1999
- Stroebe MS, Schut H — The dual process model of coping with bereavement: a decade on. Omega, 2010