Relieving parental anxiety in the care-by-parent unit.
To determine if maternal anxiety could be reduced by allowing mothers to live in the hospital with their infant before discharge, a study was conducted using 14 mothers who spent 36 to 48 hours in a care-by-parent unit (CBPU) just before the infants' discharge home. The mothers gradually assumed total responsibility for infant care with the support of health-care professionals. Anxiety of mothers was measured before and after their care-by-parent experience. In one situation, which involved potential illness of the infant, maternal anxiety was significantly reduced. If further studies support these results, care-by-parent units for infants who require intensive care should be part of discharge planning in neonatal intensive care units.
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012386:Rooming-in Care; D013781:Texas