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Mothers' Psychological Distress and Feeding of Their Preterm Infants.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Park, J; Thoyre, S; Estrem, H; Pados, BF; Knafl, GJ; Brandon, D
Published in: MCN. The American journal of maternal child nursing
July 2016

To examine the change in psychological distress of mothers of preterm infants and its association with maternal feeding behaviors as the infant transitions to full oral feeding.This descriptive exploratory study used a subset of data from a study of the effects of a coregulated feeding intervention for 34 mothers and hospitalized preterm infants in a Level-III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Maternal psychological distress was measured by maternal worry (Child Health Worry Scale), depression (Center for Epidemiology-Depression Scale), and role stress (Parental Stress Scale: NICU-Role Alteration) at three time points: within 1 week prior to the first oral feeding (T1), and at achievement of half (T2) and full oral feeding (T3). Feedings were videotaped at T2 and T3. An observational coding system measured maternal feeding behaviors. Linear mixed modeling evaluated the change in maternal psychological distress and its association with mothers' feeding behaviors as the infant transitioned to full oral feeding.Maternal depressive symptoms were highest at T1 and declined over time. Maternal worry and role stress were also highest at T1 but remained stable from T2 to T3. Increased maternal psychological distress, particularly depressive symptoms and role stress, were associated with less use of developmentally supportive feeding behaviors, that is, minimizing tactile stimulation, providing steady touch to contain or stabilize the infant, and regulating milk flow.Supporting maternal psychological well-being while infants are learning to feed orally may be an appropriate target for interventions to support mother-infant early feeding interactions.

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Published In

MCN. The American journal of maternal child nursing

DOI

EISSN

1539-0683

ISSN

0361-929X

Publication Date

July 2016

Volume

41

Issue

4

Start / End Page

221 / 229

Related Subject Headings

  • Stress, Psychological
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Racial Groups
  • Psychometrics
  • Nursing
  • North Carolina
  • Mothers
  • Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
  • Infant, Premature
  • Humans
 

Citation

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ICMJE
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Park, J., Thoyre, S., Estrem, H., Pados, B. F., Knafl, G. J., & Brandon, D. (2016). Mothers' Psychological Distress and Feeding of Their Preterm Infants. MCN. The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 41(4), 221–229. https://doi.org/10.1097/nmc.0000000000000248
Park, Jinhee, Suzanne Thoyre, Hayley Estrem, Britt F. Pados, George J. Knafl, and Debra Brandon. “Mothers' Psychological Distress and Feeding of Their Preterm Infants.MCN. The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing 41, no. 4 (July 2016): 221–29. https://doi.org/10.1097/nmc.0000000000000248.
Park J, Thoyre S, Estrem H, Pados BF, Knafl GJ, Brandon D. Mothers' Psychological Distress and Feeding of Their Preterm Infants. MCN The American journal of maternal child nursing. 2016 Jul;41(4):221–9.
Park, Jinhee, et al. “Mothers' Psychological Distress and Feeding of Their Preterm Infants.MCN. The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, vol. 41, no. 4, July 2016, pp. 221–29. Epmc, doi:10.1097/nmc.0000000000000248.
Park J, Thoyre S, Estrem H, Pados BF, Knafl GJ, Brandon D. Mothers' Psychological Distress and Feeding of Their Preterm Infants. MCN The American journal of maternal child nursing. 2016 Jul;41(4):221–229.

Published In

MCN. The American journal of maternal child nursing

DOI

EISSN

1539-0683

ISSN

0361-929X

Publication Date

July 2016

Volume

41

Issue

4

Start / End Page

221 / 229

Related Subject Headings

  • Stress, Psychological
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Racial Groups
  • Psychometrics
  • Nursing
  • North Carolina
  • Mothers
  • Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
  • Infant, Premature
  • Humans