Effect of mothers’ empowerment program on premature infants’ attachment and weight gain

Empowerment program help mothers to increase readiness of weight gain and attachment for premature infants after discharge which in turn are a critical issue to decrease potential adverse consequences. Aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of mothers’ empowerment program on premature infants’ attachment and weight gain. In order to represent the current research, the design of quasi-experimental was implemented. The study was conducted at Center for Social and Preventive Medicine in premature outpatient clinic in the Cairo University Specialized Pediatric Hospital (CUSPH). A convenience sample of 60 premature infants and their mothers was participated in the current study; mothers and their preterm infants were split into two equal groups: 30 as a control group and 30 as a study group. The data was collected using the following tools: a structured interview questionnaire sheet, mother's knowledge assessment questionnaire (pre/posttest), practices observational checklists, maternal postnatal attachment scale and standardized weight growth chart. The results revealed that, the mothers in the study group who received empowerment program had a higher overall mean score of knowledge and practices rather than mothers in the control group. There were statistically significant differences were detected for infant's weight in the study group before and after empowerment program rather than infants in the control group. As well as, there were statistically significant differences were detected for attachment scale in the study group before and after empowerment program rather than a control group. As well as the mothers who received the empowerment program there were increased weight and attachment for their premature infants.