Concerns of primiparous mothers regarding infant care

The purpose of this study was to identify the areas of concerns primiparous post-partum women had in the care of their infants based upon the assumption that appropriate health instruction can be provided to mothers in meeting the needs of their children when these needs have been identified. The hypothesis tested, that there would be characteristic information needs relative to child care expressed by primiparous post-partum women, was supported. Data collection was accomplished at the Naval Regional Medical Center, Long Beach, California, by having 25 primiparous post-partum women list their concerns and/or questions at two days post-delivery and again covering the period of time prior to the two-week well-baby visit. The responses were coded using Holley's seven hierarchy of human need categories and the total frequencies of references to each category tabulated. The data revealed 100 different types of questions asked. The range for the number of questions asked in infant metabolic need category was from 1 to 12; the range for the number of questions asked in the infant sensory need category was from 1 to 7. The means of the infant metabolic and emotional need categories showed greater frequencies of occurrence, 7.08 and 6.36 respectively. The maternal activity need category 3 showed a statistically significant correlation with the subjects total categorical references while in the hospital There were fewer total categorical questions asked in the hospital by those subjects who were older, more educated and married longer with their husbands in the household and having read books on infant care than those subjects who had had previous experience babysitting and had more than three persons living in the present household. The opposite findings were obtained during the two-week well-baby visits. Speculations about these findings are discussed.