The experience of new mothers who are separated from their newborn infants: a qualitative systematic review.

Abstract

REVIEW OBJECTIVES/QUESTIONS: The objective of this review is to explore the experience of separation for mothers and their term newborn infants in order to understand the effect this has on the mother and infant couple. This knowledge will be used to enhance the care experience and minimise harm for mothers and infants when there is or has been an admission to special care nursery within 72 hours of birth. This review aims to answer the following specific question:What is the experience of mothers who are separated from their term infants within 72 hours of birth? INCLUSION CRITERIA Types of Participants This review will consider publications that include experiences of new mothers whose term infants were admitted to special care nursery within 72 hours of birth. Publications will not be excluded on the basis of mode of birth, parity or age of the women. Studies that include the experiences of women who have a condition that prevents their participation in the care of their baby will not be included in this study. Such conditions may require admission to adult intensive or critical care areas and would include severe obstetric haemorrhage, eclampsia or stroke. Infants that are premature (those born before 37 completed weeks) and those that have structural deformities such as clefts of the lip and palate, babies that are admitted to or have been admitted to NICU or maternal or neonatal conditions in which breastfeeding may be contraindicated (chemotherapy, radioactive treatments, HIV-Aids or neonatal gastro-intestinal deformities) will not be included in this review. Phenomena of interest: This qualitative review will consider studies that investigate mother’s experiences of separation on physiological, psychological and social factors when their term infants are admitted to special care nursery within 72 hours of birth. Babies are considered to be separated from their mothers when there is an alteration to the constant close presence of the infant remaining in the same room as the mother (rooming-in) from the time of birth and continuously during the postnatal stay. A second phenomenon of interest is the impact of this separation on the mode of feeding for these mothers and their infants.