Both mothers reported that the experience was one that was difficult because it did not fit their expectations. Mother 1 stated: "It's kinda... you know you're glad you have the baby and the baby's doing fine but you were...you know it's like a shock you weren't expecting it to happen this way." Mother 2 noted that, "It's more of an emotional stress. Its like you expect good things to happen and then as good things start happening something happens and it all changes. Additionally, both mothers noted making changes to their plans in the aftermath of the birth. In both cases, maternity care was put on hold and schedule changes were needed to ensure that all of the demands of work, family and home could be met.
The initial loss of control appears to be well illustrated in early questions posed to the mothers about the habits and responses of their infants. Both Mother 1 and 2 both noted in their initial interviews that they were largely unfamiliar with their babies, what calmed them down and what they liked and disliked. However, as illustrated in the interview from Mother 1, as the time the baby spent in the hospital progressed, the mother became more aware of her baby's needs and how to effectively meet these needs. Over the time, it appeared as if Mother 1 gained considerable confidence about her ability to care for her child and the specific issues that would need to be addressed once she took her baby home.
The Role of Support Staff in the Hospital Setting: Based on the data provided by both of the mothers, the support received in the early days of hospitalization were of critical importance to the mothers. Both felt as if the nursing staff were providing the best possible care and that the social workers had been effective in role for helping the mothers address practical concerns such as how to access services, call to get updates and provide comfort for their infants. In addition, both Mothers reported...
This appeared to be important in helping the Mothers find the time to visit the hospital once they returned to work.
Considerable Challenges Face Mothers with Hospitalized Infants: Although both the Mothers appear to be managing their situations well, it is evident that both face notable challenges when it comes to adjusting to this situation. Mother 1, who was able to bring her infant home, is dealing with a demanding infant that will not sleep. Although she has taken her maternity leave to be with the baby during this transition, she may face further difficulties when she returns to work. In addition, Mother 1 notes that she will need the continued help and support of her family to care for the child when she returns to work. Mother 2, on the other hand, also faces challenges when it comes to managing work, family and new baby. As reported by Mother 2, she is sacrificing sleep in order to be with her child. In addition, Mother 2 notes the emotional stress of the ordeal and reports that her husband has not provided her with much help. Even though the challenges are different, each Mother has had to made significant changes in order to meet the basic demands of this situation.
Support is Needed to Ensure Positive Outcomes: Perhaps the most important theme running through these interviews is the importance of support outside of the home to help mothers deal with the experience of having a child in the hospital. Mother 1 notes that she has an extensive family network that can help her care for both her newborn and her six-year-old daughter. In addition her husband appears to be a wonderful support. Mother 2 notes that she has gotten an incredible amount of support from her coworkers, friends and neighbors. This support appears to be critical in helping these mothers balance all of their daily activities. For mothers that do not have…
