MCN. The American journal of maternal child nursing
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MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs · May 2012
Nurse-led education mitigates maternal stress and enhances knowledge in the NICU.
Maternal stress common to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) experience often impairs bonding, plays a role in postpartum depression and anxiety, and decreases maternal milk production. This study evaluated the effect of a nurse-led intervention pertaining to the experience of having a baby in the NICU on maternal stress in a population of high-risk pregnant women at three different time points. ⋯ Nurse-led patient education is an effective intervention strategy when aiming to reduce maternal stress in the NICU. Family-centered interventions tailored to the care of the high-risk mother and infant can improve patient outcomes.
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To understand women's experiences as older first-time mothers during the transition to menopause. ⋯ Increasingly, nurses and nurse midwives will be caring for women aged 40 and older as they navigate motherhood during the transition to menopause. Through their stories, women can share concerns they have about mothering at an older age, and the effect of perimenopausal symptoms on their mothering experiences. Nurses should offer anticipatory guidance to women who delay motherhood until midlife, provide information about the transition to menopause, and assess the older mother's level of social support. Nurses can help build capacity for support within community and professional resources, such as hospital supported mother/baby and breastfeeding support groups.