Biomaterial Database

Maternal experience with neonatal jaundice. 2010

Margaret Brethauer, and Lynn Carey

ProHealth Care Center for Learning and Innovation, Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA. Margaret.Brethauer@phci.org.

OBJECTIVE To describe the lived experience of mothers having an infant with neonatal jaundice. METHODS A descriptive phenomenological design with 6 mothers who had infants with neonatal jaundice. Streubert's method of phenomenology guided the collection, organization, and analysis of data to abstract themes. RESULTS Eight major themes emerged relating to the lived experience: (1) physical and emotional exhaustion, (2) feeling robbed, (3) distressed by infant's physical appearance, (4) loss of control, (5) maternal vigilance, (6) feeling discounted but only for so long, (7) family impact, and (8) supportive environment. Three major themes emerged relating to the mother's educational experience: (1) everyone has a different opinion, and therefore no one really knows for sure; (2) feeling defensive and at fault; and (3) knowing now what I would do differently if I had another baby. Mothers reported receiving infant care advice contrary to guidelines from multiple healthcare providers. CONCLUSIONS In this study the physical, emotional, and learning needs of the mothers were rarely met. Nurses are the healthcare professionals who have the most contact with new mothers, and therefore must remain current with the evidence for appropriate care. Much needs to be done to help mothers who have infants with neonatal jaundice. Additional studies about how nurses and other healthcare providers interact with families facing this problem are warranted.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007224	Infant Care	Care of infants in the home or institution.
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007567	Jaundice, Neonatal	Yellow discoloration of the SKIN; MUCOUS MEMBRANE; and SCLERA in the NEWBORN. It is a sign of NEONATAL HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA. Most cases are transient self-limiting (PHYSIOLOGICAL NEONATAL JAUNDICE) occurring in the first week of life, but some can be a sign of pathological disorders, particularly LIVER DISEASES.	Icterus Gravis Neonatorum,Neonatal Jaundice,Physiological Neonatal Jaundice,Severe Jaundice in Neonate,Severe Jaundice in Newborn,Jaundice, Physiological Neonatal,Neonatal Jaundice, Physiological
D007722	Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice	Knowledge, attitudes, and associated behaviors which pertain to health-related topics such as PATHOLOGIC PROCESSES or diseases, their prevention, and treatment. This term refers to non-health workers and health workers (HEALTH PERSONNEL).	Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
D008425	Maternal Behavior	The behavior patterns associated with or characteristic of a mother.	Maternal Patterns of Care,Maternal Care Patterns,Behavior, Maternal,Behaviors, Maternal,Care Pattern, Maternal,Care Patterns, Maternal,Maternal Behaviors,Maternal Care Pattern,Pattern, Maternal Care,Patterns, Maternal Care
D009034	Mother-Child Relations	Interaction between a mother and child.	Mother-Child Interaction,Mother-Child Relationship,Mother-Infant Interaction,Mother-Infant Relations,Interaction, Mother-Child,Interaction, Mother-Infant,Interactions, Mother-Child,Interactions, Mother-Infant,Mother Child Interaction,Mother Child Relations,Mother Child Relationship,Mother Infant Interaction,Mother Infant Relations,Mother-Child Interactions,Mother-Child Relation,Mother-Child Relationships,Mother-Infant Interactions,Mother-Infant Relation,Relation, Mother-Child,Relation, Mother-Infant,Relations, Mother-Child,Relations, Mother-Infant,Relationship, Mother-Child,Relationships, Mother-Child
D009035	Mothers	Female parents, human or animal.	Mothers' Clubs,Club, Mothers',Clubs, Mothers',Mother,Mother Clubs,Mother's Clubs,Mothers Clubs,Mothers' Club
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man