THE EXPERIENCES OF MOTHERS ON CARING LOW BIRTH WEIGHT PREMATURE INFANTS

Abstract

The qualitative research aimed to gain understanding of the experiences of mothers on caring low birth weight premature infants. The hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used in the study. The participants were eighteen mothers who delivered premature infants weigh less than 2,500 grams and the infants had been admitted at the sick newborn ward, Mahasarakham Hospital. The infants had taken care by their mothers at least one week after discharged from the hospital. Individual in-depth interview was used to collect the data. The contents were analyzed by using Leonard’s approach. Lincoln and Guba had adopted to explain the overarching concept of trustworthiness. Three themes were identified from the experiences of mothers on caring low birth weight premature infants: 1) keeping the infant from harm: mother observed and monitored symptoms and changes such as temperature and abnormal symptoms while waking up or sleeping 2) nurturing with confidence: mothers developed skills in raising their premature infants by building confidence in one's own abilities. 3) mind-body accepting any situation: even though the mothers still in postpartum period, mother had to take care and accept symptom’s changes of their babies. The results of this study will assist nurses and health care providers better understand mothers on caring low birth weight premature infants. This will be used to develop nursing quality/practices that respond to the problems and needs of mothers in the care of low birthweight preterm infants.