Abstract
The present study investigated the motherhood experience of mothers of extremely preterm infants during their hospitalizations in the NICU. In particular, we sought to investigate the maternal feelings related to this context. Participants included 18 mothers whose babies were between 25 and 28 gestational weeks and weighed between 625g and 1000g. Mothers were interviewed 15 days after delivery and the responses were examined using qualitative content analysis. Three axes were developed, derived from the interviews: feelings about the NICU; feelings about the baby’s manifestations; and feelings about motherhood. The findings revealed the complexity of maternal feelings in the context of the NICU. However, the mothers’ narcissistic investment in their babies, which led them to communicate with them using small gestures and sensory expressions, stood out in the maternal verbalizations, which simultaneously made it possible to build a symbolic place for the infant.
Keywords:
Motherhood; Infant; Prematurity; NICU