R Flacking1, G Thomson, L Ekenberg, L Löwegren, L Wallin. 1. Maternal and Infant Nutrition and Nurture Unit (MAINN), School of Health, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, UK; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; School of Health and Social Studies, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden. Electronic address: rfl@du.se.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of co-care facilities and amount of skin-to-skin contact during Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) stay on maternal stress in mothers of preterm infants at two months corrected age. METHODS: A prospective cohort study that involved 300 mothers of pre-term infants was conducted in four NICUs (two with co-care facilities and two with non co-care) in Sweden. Data on duration of skin-to-skin contact per day for all days admitted to the NICU were collected using self-reports. Maternal stress was measured by the Swedish Parental Stress Questionnaire (SPSQ) at two months of infant's corrected age. RESULTS: Mothers whose infants were cared for in a NICU with co-care facilities reported significantly lower levels of stress in the dimension of 'incompetence' compared to mothers whose infants had been cared for in non co-care NICUs. The amount of skin-to-skin experienced during the neonatal stay was not significantly associated with levels of maternal stress at two months corrected age. CONCLUSION: The finding that mothers who do not experience co-care facilities experience greater levels of stress in relation to feelings of incompetence is of concern. Improvements to NICU environments are needed to ensure that mother-infant dyads are not separated.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of co-care facilities and amount of skin-to-skin contact during Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) stay on maternal stress in mothers of preterm infants at two months corrected age. METHODS: A prospective cohort study that involved 300 mothers of pre-term infants was conducted in four NICUs (two with co-care facilities and two with non co-care) in Sweden. Data on duration of skin-to-skin contact per day for all days admitted to the NICU were collected using self-reports. Maternal stress was measured by the Swedish Parental Stress Questionnaire (SPSQ) at two months of infant's corrected age. RESULTS: Mothers whose infants were cared for in a NICU with co-care facilities reported significantly lower levels of stress in the dimension of 'incompetence' compared to mothers whose infants had been cared for in non co-care NICUs. The amount of skin-to-skin experienced during the neonatal stay was not significantly associated with levels of maternal stress at two months corrected age. CONCLUSION: The finding that mothers who do not experience co-care facilities experience greater levels of stress in relation to feelings of incompetence is of concern. Improvements to NICU environments are needed to ensure that mother-infant dyads are not separated.
Authors: Nicole R van Veenendaal; Nanon H M Labrie; Silke Mader; Anne A M W van Kempen; Sophie R D van der Schoor; Johannes B van Goudoever Journal: Pediatr Investig Date: 2022-08-13
Authors: Nicole R van Veenendaal; Anne A M W van Kempen; Linda S Franck; Karel O'Brien; Jacqueline Limpens; Johanna H van der Lee; Johannes B van Goudoever; Sophie R D van der Schoor Journal: EClinicalMedicine Date: 2020-06-06