The Development of Mothers' Understanding of Infant Crying

Jane E. Drummond, Michelle L. McBride and C. Faye Wiebe
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Jane E. Drummond: University of Alberta
Michelle L. McBride: University of British Columbia
C. Faye Wiebe: Grey Nuns Hospital, Edmonton

Clinical Nursing Research, 1993, vol. 2, issue 4, 396-410

Abstract: This study examines the development of mothers' understanding of their infants' crying. Semistructured tape-recorded interviews were conducted with 17 mothers at 6 weeks, 10 weeks, and 16 weeks postpartum. The mothers (9 primiparous, 8 multiparous) were chosen for their good health status and for their immediate support system. Two major themes were identified from the interviews. In general, it was found that as the mothers became more experienced, the understanding of the cry situation became more complete and soothing was more effective. The relation between crying and soothing became more differentiated, more cohesive, and more complete. The effect of experience on understanding was particularly dramatic in the case of multiparous mothers. Both health promotional and illness prevention programming are proposed as nursing care measures for mothers of crying infants. The important assumptions underlying each approach are delineated.

Date: 1993
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:clnure:v:2:y:1993:i:4:p:396-410

DOI: 10.1177/105477389300200403

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