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Mothering an extremely low birth-weight infant: a phenomenological study
Laura K Schenk1, Jane H Kelley
1School of Nursing, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA. lschenk@son.umsmed.edu
Summary
Mothers of extremely low birth-weight infants face significant psychological stress in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Understanding their lived experiences is crucial for improving infant-mother relationships and NICU support.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Maternal psychology
- Qualitative research
Background:
- Mothers of preterm infants experience heightened psychological stress.
- This stress is greater than that of mothers with full-term infants during the neonatal period.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the lived experience of mothers with extremely low birth-weight infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Main Methods:
- Interpretive phenomenology (Benner & Diekelmann) was used for qualitative research.
- Thematic analysis of repeated interviews with 9 purposively sampled mothers.
- Focus on capturing themes, patterns, and meanings in their lived experiences.
Main Results:
- Emerging themes provide insight into the maternal experience in the NICU.
- Understanding these themes is key to developing supportive interventions.
- Identified themes guide future research and program development.
Conclusions:
- Findings offer guidance for future research and programs.
- Aims to foster healthy mother-infant relationships within the NICU environment.
- Enhances understanding of beneficial relationships with NICU staff and structure.
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