To entrap and empower: understanding the social implications of maternal intuition within heterosexual family relationships

Abstract

Throughout this paper I explore the concept of maternal intuition and argue that it serves multiple, and sometimes contradictory, functions within heterosexual family relationships. In one sense a belief in the power of maternal intuition serves to reinforce gendered child care dynamics by naturalising the position of women as primary caregivers. Concurrently, this process may exclude and excuse men from equal parenting responsibility. However, maternal intuition can also operate to provide women a means of social empowerment. This occurs particularly through the role of intuition in providing evidence of a woman’s ability to fulfil the role of ‘good’ mother. The ideas that are developed in this paper are drawn from a discourse analysis of narratives collected during in-depth interviews. The interviews were with 28 women who mother children with congenital health problems. Throughout the analysis various theories are applied in order to explore the origins and effects of maternal intuition from both a biologically determinist and social perspective. The findings of the analysis extend existing theory, particularly about the operation of intuition within heterosexual parenting relationships and about its role in reinforcing maternal responsibilities.