title: Taking care of my baby: mexican-american mothers in the neonatal intensive care unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The admission of an infant to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can produce significant stress for mothers and may contribute to a difficult transition following discharge. Past research has primarily focused on Caucasian women. Mexican-Americans are the fastest growing ethnic population in the U.S. with the highest fertility rate; therefore, the purpose of this grounded theory study was to gain a better understanding of the NICU experience for Mexican-American mothers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen women were recruited and data were collected through semi-structured interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A theoretical model, taking care of my baby, was developed. The mothers' experiences began with the unexpected event of having an infant admitted to the NICU and played out in a context that fluctuated between being supportive (making meaningful connections) or inhibitive (struggling to mother). The women developed strategies to help them take care of their babies during the NICU stay: balancing responsibilities, leaving part of me with my baby, and watching over. The process concluded in one of two ways: bringing my baby home or losing my baby.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings offer insight for neonatal nurses who provide care for Mexican-American NICU mothers and may help inform their practice. Further research is needed with this growing population to ensure supportive nursing care and influence positive outcomes.
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78229, USA. cleveland1@uthscsa.edu
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Cleveland
authors.forename: Sharon D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Horner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D054521:Cultural Competency; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000523:psychology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D055815:Young Adult