OBJECTIVES: to identify the meaning of being an accompanying mother to a hospitalized premature and low birthweight newborn and participant of a multidisciplinary support group. METHODS: qualitative research performed through a descriptive exploratory study at the Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco with data collected through observation and taped interviews with 16 accompanying mothers of hospitalized infants in the period of March to December, 2003. According to inclusion criteria to theoretical saturation in response to two guiding questions, content analysis through cross sectional thematic analysis was made. RESULTS: age of women varied between 15 and 28 years old and eleven of them already had children. Based on maternal perception of the experience, four core themes were identified: suffering caused by family separation and support deprivation; maternal facilities viewed as a prison not permitting discharge without the child and as a place for new friendships, advice and conflicts. CONCLUSIONS: the study suggests a humane need to caring. A collectively and positively learning within a formal context might serve as an input for different realities.
Prematurity; Infant; low birth weight; Mother with child in hospital; Self-help groups