Objective: Carrying death instead of life is beyond understanding and a huge psychological challenge for a pregnant mother. The period from the time when information is received about the death of an unborn baby until labour is induced has an impact on the mother’s future well-being. The aim of this study was to investigate the mothers’ experiences of the time from the diagnosis of the death of their unborn baby until induction of labour.
Method: In-depth interviews were conducted with 21 mothers whose babies had died prior to birth. The interviews were then analysed using content analysis.
Results: The overall theme that emerged from the mothers’ experiences is understood as “waiting in no-man’s-land”, describing the feeling of being set aside from normality and put into an area which is unrecognized. Four categories were established. ‘Involuntary waiting’ describes the sense of being left without information about what is to come; ‘handling the unimaginable’ concerns the confusing state of finding oneself in the worst-case scenario and yet having to deal with the birth; ‘broken expectations’ is about the loss not only of the baby but also of future family life; and ‘courage to face life’ describes the determination to go on and face reality with strength.
Conclusions The mothers’ experiences were understood as a sense of being abandoned in no-man’s-land. This time period was characterized by waiting – not knowing for what and not knowing for how long. Information about the process and the forthcoming encounter with the baby is essential and decisions regarding time of induction should be based on the parents’ requests, not on hospital routines.