Lived Experiences of Mothers With Preterm Infants Providing Kangaroo Mother Care.

AIM: The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of mothers with preterm infants providing kangaroo mother care. DESIGN: A qualitative phenomenological design. METHODS: In-depth unstructured interviews were conducted over six months, from January to June 2024, with mothers of preterm infants who were providing kangaroo mother care for at least one week. The seven-step method was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Ten mothers with hospitalized preterm infants participated in this study. A constitutive pattern of "life-giving refuge" and three main themes emerged from the lived experiences of mothers with preterm infants providing kangaroo mother care: (1) development of maternal attachment, (2) gradual empowerment, and (3) gaining confidence through positive outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The present study highlighted the benefits of kangaroo mother care in fostering emotional bonds between mothers and infants. Additionally, it emphasized the importance of proper training, continuous support, and monitoring by healthcare professionals to maximize the effectiveness of kangaroo mother care. The findings of our study can be utilized to develop educational content for nurses and physicians to ensure the optimal implementation of kangaroo mother care. This includes explaining the benefits of kangaroo mother care for both mothers and infants, identifying mothers' concerns regarding its practice, and providing effective solutions to address those concerns. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Neonatal nurses can facilitate kangaroo mother care by providing individualized education, hands-on coaching, emotional reassurance, and ongoing encouragement to help mothers build confidence and overcome fear and uncertainty. REPORTING METHOD: This study adhered to the SRQR reporting guideline. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.