Mothers' perception of the care of newborn in the home environment.
Gina de Souza Castro Hammel, Laura Tais Loureiro Simas, Luiz Fernando Rodrigues Junior and 3 others
PMID 38655978WHAT IT FOUND
Mothers caring for low-risk newborns at home described emotional and sleep disorder, breastfeeding and bathing difficulties, and uncertainty from too much information.
They wanted to be heard and supported in their decisions, not given only protocols.
Key findings
01Mothers described intense emotional and sleep disorder, with breastfeeding difficulties such as cracked breasts, milk let-down, and latching.
02Too much parallel information generated uncertainty and discomfort, while mothers wanted to be heard and supported in their decisions.
03Mothers said clear professional information at discharge and home visits in the newborn's first 28 days were important.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The mothers were recruited by convenience through researchers' personal Instagram, so they may not represent all mothers. Only 21 mothers from southern Brazil were included, so the findings are not generalizable to other regions, larger populations, or mothers of high-risk newborns. Fathers were not included, although the paper notes they also adapt to newborn care. Some interviews were online because of distance, which may have changed how much mothers shared. The study reports perceptions and themes, not outcomes, so it cannot show whether home visits, discharge teaching, or support networks improve health.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that home visits, discharge teaching, or support networks improve maternal or newborn outcomes. This was a qualitative study of mothers' perceptions, and it did not test any intervention.