title: Infant sleep problems: a qualitative analysis of first-time mothers' coping experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to describe the aspects of infant sleep perceived as problematic by first-time Taiwanese mothers and to discover how mothers cope in response to infant sleep concerns.
  
  
  METHODS
  a qualitative approach was used for data collection.
  
  
  METHODS
  in-depth interviews were conducted and audio-taped at mothers' homes.
  
  
  METHODS
  12 first-time mothers within three months post partum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  content analysis was performed to identify patterns, similarities, and differences in the individual and collective interview data. The major themes describing maternal coping experiences were 'self-help' and 'seek-help.' Self-help coping efforts included reception and acceptance of suggestions as well as changing behaviour to allow mothers to feel capable of adapting to infant sleep patterns or problems. Seek-help was a later stage of coping for mothers when they actively utilised formal and informal sources of help to identify and manage infant sleep problems. The majority of mothers sought informal help sources from family members, friends, or online information. Mothers who suspected their infant of suffering from sleep problems either delayed seeking medical advice or did not actively consult a health care provider.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  nurses and health care providers who work in antenatal, postnatal, and paediatric clinics should actively educate and provide information about infant sleep patterns and sleep management options to first-time mothers and discuss maternal coping strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 1, Jen-Ai Rd, Taipei 10051, Taiwan. Electronic address: stsai@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Shao-Yu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 1, Jen-Ai Rd, Taipei 10051, Taiwan. Electronic address: weyuhu@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Wen-Yu
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 1, Jen-Ai Rd, Taipei 10051, Taiwan. Electronic address: yallee@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Ya-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 1, Jen-Ai Rd, Taipei 10051, Taiwan. Electronic address: jennycyw@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chia-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012890:Sleep; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Coping; Infant; Qualitative study; Sleep