Mothers Of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Infants Research Articles

Family matters: the influence of partner and familial encouragement on home and car smoking bans

Background: Secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) poses health risks to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) infants after they are discharged; these risks can be mitigated by the implementation of parent-enforced total home and car smoking bans. Understanding the influence that various family members have on household smoking policies may inform interventions to reduce SHSe among vulnerable infants.Methods: In a cross-sectional, secondary analysis of data collected between 2013 and 2015, mothers of NICU infants who reported smoking or living with a smoker (N=242) were asked about whether members of 9 separate relationship types (e.g., partner, mother, father) encouraged or discouraged smoking in the home and car. The influence of perceived encouragement from each relationship type on the odds of having a total smoking ban in place was estimated.Results: Participants reported that partners (47%) and siblings (32%) were most likely to encourage smoking in the home/car. In a multivariate model, both partner (p=0.0002) and sibling (p=0.004) encouragement of indoor smoking decreased the likelihood of having a total smoking home and car ban in place.Conclusions: Family members have significant influence on SHSe reduction practices. Innovative family-based interventions may be needed in order to reduce SHSe in this particularly vulnerable group of infants.

Infant delivery and maternal stress during the COVID-19 pandemic: a comparison of the well-baby versus neonatal intensive care environments.

ObjectiveTo describe impact of COVID-19 pandemic on stress and mood of new mothers, in particular in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU); a secondary objective was to assess whether customary social gender distancing practiced by ultra-religious Jews and Muslims offers built-in anti-stress protection.MethodsCross-sectional, observational survey of mothers of 52 normal newborn nursery (NNB) and 52 NICU infants. In all, 86 filled all the 6 questionnaires (Demographics, COVID-19 virus experience, Mental Health Inventory, Neonatal Satisfaction Survey, Parental Stressor Scale, and Questionnaire of Coping Strategies).ResultsMost mothers stated that COVID-19 pandemic had hurt social and family relationships, maternal role, and expressed stress and loneliness. Mothers of NICU infants had higher degree of helplessness. Religious social distancing was not protective. Background tendency to coping poorly with stress and depression most highly predicted stress.ConclusionCOVID-19 pandemic harms psychosocial well-being of most mothers. Detection of high-risk individuals is necessary to provide appropriate support.

Breast is Best? The Influence of Breast Feeding Campaigns on NICU Mothers who Exclusively Breastfeed Compared to Mothers Who Are Unable

Background: Breast milk has many benefits, especially for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) infants. The slogan “breast is best” has increasingly become a household phrase as pro-breastfeeding organizations tout the numerous benefits of breast milk. Unfortunately, many mothers are unable to provide enough milk to exclusively breastfeed (EBF) their NICU infant. As a result, it is possible that the encouragement to breastfeed may turn into a pressure that negatively impacts these mothers. To date, little research has been conducted examining the emotional response of mothers of NICU infants to their ability …

Prepoznavanje mam s poporodno depresijo in pomen ocenjevanja vedenja novorojenčka za spodbujanje njihovega odnosa s starši na enoti intenzivne nege novorojenčkov

Birth of an ill or premature infant and early separation from the mother on behalf of admission to a neonatal intensive care unit was found to be one of the most important predictors of postpartum depression. The goals of the study were to examine the postpartum depression symptoms frequency in the group of mothers of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Pediatric Clinic of Ljubljana, and to examine the clinical use of the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) to support the mother-infant bonding and to promote parental competencies. 63 mothers of infants in NICU participated in the study about postpartum depression symptoms frequency and 26 infants and their parents participated in the assessment of the neonatal behavior (12 mothers participated in both parts of the study). The results showed that early hospitalization of the newborn increases the risk of postnatal depression in mothers. The percent of mothers who scored 10 or more points on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was higher than the incidence of postpartum depression in Slovenia. Results support the need of a postpartum depression screening tool for mothers of infants at NICU and show that the use of NBAS is a potentially useful tool to promote parent-infant interaction.

Postpartum Depression in Mothers of Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Risk Factors and Management Strategies

The aim of this study is to assess incidence, risk factors, and management strategies for Postpartum depression (PPD) in mothers of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) infants. A total of 131 mothers completed the study assessment tool (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale with additional questions). Score of 10 or above was considered to indicate risk for PPD (subclinical depression). Risk factors were examined with particular emphasis on length of stay (LOS). Approximately 19.1% of mothers experienced (subclinical) PPD. Depression during current and previous pregnancy, and problems with current delivery were strong predicting risk factors for PPD. As the LOS increased beyond 2 weeks, the odds of PPD risks initially increased, then leveled off, and then decreased after 31 days. We recommend that the mothers of NICU infants be routinely screened for PPD and aggressively treated.

Depression in the early postpartum period and attachment to children—in mothers of NICU infants

AbstractDepression in early puerperium was evaluated in terms of maternal attachment in mothers of children admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in comparison to a control group of mothers of full‐term infants.A survey including Zung's self‐rating depression scale (ZSDS), a postpartum maternal attachment scale and items addressing the mother's feelings and peripheral conditions was conducted on mothers of children admitted to the NICU.Among the 153 mothers who gave valid responses, positive ZSDS scores of over 40 were seen in 61.8%. In terms of the children's disorder, strong depressive tendency was noted among mothers of low birth weight infants. Significant correlation was noted between the ZSDS and the ‘core maternal attachment’ (negative correlation) and ‘anxiety regarding children’ (positive correlation) subscales of postpartum maternal attachment. Path analysis revealed the father's positive reaction in learning of the pregnancy resulted in elevation of the ‘core maternal attachment’ score, in contrast to the control group mothers. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.