title: Domestic maternal experience with preterm newborn children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Exploring maternal experience with premature newborn children in a domestic environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was qualitative and used focus group interviews with 24 women who had had preterm deliveries in a public maternity hospital located in Northeast Brazil during June and October 2005. The mothers returned to the hospital facility at least 30 days after the newborn were discharged to share their experiences in caring for a premature infant at home.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Interview data was analysed for content, four thematic nuclei being identified: hospital discharge, preparing the family for discharge, caring for a premature baby at home and life changes arising from the premature birth. The greatest difficulties reported by the mothers in caring for their premature children at home were related to feeding and feelings of insecurity and fear were expressed which showed the need for a support network for the families following discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mothers care of premature infants at home represented changes for parents in everyday family life, work and social life, thus showing the need for a support network for them during the transition from hospital to home when considering premature children.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermagem, UFRN, Natal, Brazil. nilbalima@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Nilba Lima
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Ana C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pinheiro-Fernandes
authors.forename: Iris do Céu
authors.initials: Ido C
authors.lastname: Clara-Costa
authors.forename: Bertha
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cruz-Enders
authors.forename: Jovanka Bittencourt Leite
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: Maria de Lourdes Costa
authors.initials: Mde L
authors.lastname: da Silva
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety; D001903:Bottle Feeding / Q000523:psychology; D001938:Brazil; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000523:psychology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult