Date Presented 04/04/2025
Young mothers of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU; N = 7) were interviewed about their experiences. OTPs can use this information to guide practice in the NICU setting, especially related to rapport and care for the mother–infant dyad.
Primary Author and Speaker: Molly A. Whitlow
Additional Authors and Speakers: Miranda Ranae Little
PURPOSE: Roughly 9% of live births require hospitalization in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) (Kim, et al, 2021). Mothers of infants in the NICU, particularly young mothers, are at high risk of perinatal mood disorders and emotional distress (Nguyen et al., 2023; Ionio et al., 2019). This study investigated the experiences of young mothers of infants in the NICU.
DESIGN: This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of young mothers in the NICU. Mothers were included if they lived in the US, spoke English, were ages 19 to 25, and their infant was in the NICU within two years. Recruitment took place via social media.
METHOD: We conducted semi-structured interviews; transcripts were coded by two members of the research team. Consensus meetings were used to reach agreement. We analyzed data using a general inductive approach (Bernard & Ryan, 2010).
RESULTS: Seven mothers between the ages of 19 and 24 participated; 4 (57%) of whom were from racial minority backgrounds. Themes included positive and negative interactions with healthcare providers (HCP), social support, policies, and recommendations. Positive interactions pertained to engaging in mothering occupations, receiving relevant and timely information, and positive rapport with staff.
CONCLUSION: Occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) can promote positive experiences by treating families with respect, training parents in caretaking tasks, and providing patient education to assist with decision-making. OTPs can also treat mothers and infants as dyads, help mothers improve and use available social support, and can advocate for policies to support young mothers.
IMPACT STATEMENT: OTPs and HCPs can improve the experiences of young mothers of infants in the NICU by promoting positive interactions and social support, encouraging engagement in parenting occupations, and advocating for policies supporting mother-infant dyad.
References
Bernard, H. R., & Ryan, G.W. (2010). Analyzing qualitative data: Systematic approaches. Sage Publications, Inc.
Ionio, C., Mascheroni, E., Colombo, C., Castoldi, F., & Lista, G. (2019). Stress and feelings in mothers and fathers in NICU: Identifying risk factors for early interventions. Primary Health Care Research & Development, 20, Article e81. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1463423619000021
Kim, Y., Ganduglia-Cazaban, C., Chan, W., Lee, M., & Goodman, D. C. (2021). Trends in neonatal intensive care unit admissions by race/ethnicity in the United States, 2008–2018. Scientific Reports, 11(1), Article 23795. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-03183-1
Nguyen, C. T. T., Sandhi, A., Lee, G. T., Nguyen, L. T. K., & Kuo, S. Y. (2023). Prevalence of and factors associated with postnatal depression and anxiety among parents of preterm infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 322, 235–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.11.015
