EARLY TRANSITIONS FOR THE PARENTS OF PREMATURE-INFANTS - IMPLICATIONS FOR INTERVENTION

Childbirth is a normative life transition for most young couples in our society. When an infant is born prematurely, the early experiences of parents differ in important respects from the typical pattern. This paper reports on in-depth interviews with mothers of premature infants and their descriptions of the events surrounding their baby's birth, hospitalization, and homecoming. The information obtained from parents can be useful in helping professionals design and implement interventions to reduce parental stress, provide emotional and social support, increase parents' knowledge, and ultimately promote the health and well-being of their infants.