The Management of Mothers in Relation to Prematurely Born Infant.

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: The birth of premature is a special experience for mothers and they are face with numerous. Since having comprehensive knowledge about the mothers managing efforts in relation to the premature birth can help our medical and caring team to detect deficiencies and needs of their mothers for better and more effective interventions, the present study was carried out to explore mothers management in relation to prematurely born infants. Methodology: This qualitative study was conducted between 2012 -2014 by the approach of grounded theory. Data collected from 30 deep and unstructured interviews with mothers of premature infants and other participants. Selection of participants was initiated using purposeful sampling and continued by theoretical sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed based on Corbin and Straus 2008 method. Results: Maternal management process is formed in a context of sudden and unexpected encounter with preterm birth, prematurity and infant health threats, opportunities to get together (mother and newborn), economic pressure, changing life situations, reaction and perception of other people. The main concern of mothers is their infant’s prematurity and health threat. Self- empowerment: mothers struggle against the health of infant as a central category, also refers to the mothers in this process. Feelings, interactions and states in the early stages of the event include: emotional and cognitive responses, flourish of maternal instinct and then asking for help, balancing personal responsibilities and commitments, elevating capacity, provide and maintain the comfort. Sparks of growth and caregiver burden are the consequences that these mothers may experience. Conclusion: Maternal management process associated with premature birth is done through self-empowerment. It represents the efforts of mothers as a primary caregiver of the infant. Given the uniqueness of the mothers role in responding to the needs of infants, health care system should utterly participate these mothers in the intervention program in the target group in order to promote health and quality of life in premature infants; so perhaps the burden of care and management of critical situations caused by premature birth reduce in this way.