FAMILY RITUAL FACILITATES ADAPTATION TO PARENTHOOD

An ethnographic study done in Hidalgo County, Texas, among 25 Mexican American first-time mothers and fathers documented the presence of an intergenerational family ritual that facilitated adaptation to parenth ood in 24 of the 25 families. La cuarentena is a family ritual of 40 d ays duration postbirth with cultural prescriptions for maternal food a nd clothing and for paternal role reversal. La cuarentena instills par ental responsibility, incorporates individuals into the family, and in tegrates the family during this critical life-event of first birth. A thorough understanding of la cuarentena will assist nurses to enhance adaptation to parenthood for Mexican American parents.