| Description |
The purpose of this study was to identify and compare the number and types of questions and concerns among mothers of first, second, and third babies regarding normal newborn infant care at two days postpartum. Data collection was accomplished at three large metropolitan hospitals. An infant questionnaire was sued for data collection. Seventy-five postpartum women participated in this study. The women were divided equally into groups with primiparous women in group one, mothers of second babies in group two, and mothers of third babies in group three. The mean number of questions and concerns circled on the questionnaire was as follows: group one, 16.12; group two, 7.76; group three, 6.08. One-way analysis of variance revealed that there was no significant difference between groups two and three. However, there was a significant difference at the .05 level between group one and groups two and three. Hypothesis one which stated that there would be similar number of questions and concerns among mothers of first, second, and third babies regarding normal newborn infant care at two days postpartum was not supported. This research finding supported the common belief that mothers of first babies need more assistance with infant care than mothers of second and third babies. Nevertheless, multiparous women also demonstrated that they had questions about their infants. Therefore, this investigator concluded that individual and/or group classes regarding infant care should be available to all mothers regardless of parity. The top 33 questions and concerns of the three groups indicated that mothers of first, second, and third babies have similar types of questions and concerns. This data supported hypothesis two which stated that there would be similar types of questions and concerns among mothers of first, second, and third babies regarding normal newborn infant care at two days postpartum. This data supported the routine nursing practice of holding baby care classes dealing with bathing and feeding on the postpartum unit. However, these classes do not appear to meet all the infant care needs of mothers as found in this research study. Since all three groups of mothers had similar types of questions and concerns related to infant characteristics, infant development, common newborn illnesses, infant stimulation, and preventive health measures, it appears that areas of questions and concerns should be incorporated into formal or individual classes on the postpartum unit for primiparous as well as multiparous women. |
