[Rooming-in experience: feelings, needs and expectations referred by living-in mothers]

This work had the finality of searching elements to improve the living-in mothers assistance in our hospitals. The population under study included accompanying mothers in two different pediatric units. The differences between the two units were with respect to room accomodations for mothers and stipulations as to the type of disease pathology being treated. The data was collected by way of interviews in which a questionnaire of open questions was used. Results showed that the rooming-in mothers of the sample felt more discomfort than confort in the hospital, due to many different aspects of the hospital situation; the principal need of the studied mothers was to be able to give care to their children, while others needs related to receiving information about their child's condition. The living-in mothers expected to have personal contact with the hospital health team while the hospital personnel would be giving assistance to the children. Many reasons were given for the varying needs and expectations of the rooming-in mothers, showing the individuality of these women and the different ways in which a living-in experience affect different mothers.