The experience of mothering a preterm: a prolonged crisis with the potential for personal growth

The nine months of pregnancy allow mothers to plan for the birth of their child practically and emotionally. A very preterm birth, which is generally unexpected and requires the infant's stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), is perceived as a crisis by most mothers. This study sought to investigate the significance for the mother of the combined experience of a very preterm birth and the infant's stay in the NICU two-three years after the birth.

Using qualitative methodology, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 13 mothers (age 26-44) whose infants were born at 24-32 weeks. The analysis adopted the approach of multi-level listening to the diverse voices of the interviewees.

Four core themes emerged: negative feelings about the preterm birth; the NICU experience as a crisis; long-term effects of the very preterm birth and NICU experience; personal growth following the preterm birth and NICU.

In view of the findings, we discuss the meaning of the circumstances surrounding preterm birth on motherhood, and offer recommendations for practitioners.