[Mothers' experiences and perspectives regarding their premature infant's stay at the neonatal intensive care unit].

The purpose of this study was to learn the reason why mothers remain at the hospital throughout the stay of their premature infant at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The study was performed with twelve mothers to premature newborns at a municipal maternity hospital in Rio de Janeiro, in 2007. The methodological support used in the study was the Sociological Phenomenology of Alfred Schütz. The phenomenological interview was used to capture the mothers' discourse, whose intentional action was unveiled through the following categories: Taking care of the child--dealing with the challenge of having a small baby; Staying near the premature child--the mother's presence helps the child's recovery to be faster; Reciprocal help among mothers--reinforcing hope every day. Rooming-in care stands out as an innovative and relevant initiative during the hospital stay of preterm infants, and it is considered an environment for living together, sharing experiences, and giving mutual support throughout the long and difficult stay at the hospital.