Parenting Record Handbook: The Needs of Mothers Raising Low Birth Weight Infants

Abstract

This study investigated the necessity for a parenting record handbook that is specifically tailored to the needs of low birth weight infants (LBWIs) and their families, especially mothers, who face parenting difficulties and challenges. The participants were 20 mothers, raising LBWIs, discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit. The mean age and weight of the children were 2.75 ± 0.35 years and 1417.50 ± 152.06 g, respectively; the mean duration of neonatal intensive care unit hospitalization was 78.75 ± 14.10 days. At the time of the study, 35% (7/20) were nursery children, 10% (2/20) were kindergarten children, 20% (4/20) were using rehabilitation centers, and 10% (2/20) were using the medical rehabilitation handbook. The needs of the mothers were investigated through focus group interviews or individual interviews, and content analyses were performed. The mothers required the promotion of peer support that assists the alleviation of mental burden and postpartum mental and physical care, as well as the publication of counseling service counters and reliable information sources for parenting difficulties in the parenting record handbook. The mothers required the publication and recording of the growth indicators of LBWIs, parenting records, information management of children since birth, and for the handbook to function as a multidisciplinary information sharing tool. In addition, the requirements for the parenting record handbook were the early provision of the parenting record handbook and measures to cope with poor maternal physical condition. The results of this study suggest that mothers with LBWIs require a parenting record handbook that can provide comprehensive maternal and child health assurance, starting from pregnancy, to resolve childcare difficulties for LBWIs, as well as mental support.