The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Developmental Care on Maternal Stress and Bonding with Premature Infants Hospitalized in NICU

Having an infant in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is very stressful and affects mother-infant bonding. Previous studies have indicated the effect of mindfulness on improving health outcomes. In this regard, the present research was performed with the objective of investigating the effect of mindfulness-based developmental care on maternal stress and bonding with premature infants hospitalized in NICU.

In an interventional study, maternal stress and mother - infant bonding, were compared among mothers of three groups of mindfulness-based developmental care (group 1 = 34), developmental care (group 2 = 39), and control (group 3 = 50), who were selected based on purposeful random sampling. Data were collected using NICU Parenting Stress Questionnaire (PSS: NICU) and Brockington Bonding Questionnaire and Mindfulness Questionnaire.

Bonding scores in group 1 were lower as compared to those in group 2 and control group, and this difference was statistically significant indicating better maternal - neonatal bonding in group 1. Maternal stress scores at discharge time showed a significant difference between the three groups. So that the stress scores in group one, were less than the other two groups; However, this difference was only statistically significant between group 1 and control.

Integrating mindfulness with developmental care reduces maternal stress in the NICU and better bonding is achieved between mother and infant, leading to improved quality of care in NICU and better health outcomes in the hospitalized infants.