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Learning Objective #1: The participant will be able to describe the benefits of skin-to-skin holding premature infants.

Learning Objective #2: The participant will be able to discuss skin-to-skin holding as a nursing intervention in caring for a hospitalized family.

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Skin-to-skin holding may promote maternal-infant feelings of closeness, yet there is limited research that examines this maternal experience.  The purpose of this study was to explore the maternal experience of skin-to-skin holding of premature infants and add to the body of knowledge that relates maternal satisfaction to early holding.  The major objectives were to describe the maternal experience of skin-to-skin holding through interview and detailed observation, to identify maternal variables of the experience, and to determine patterns of nursing care, maternal presence, unit activity patterns, and other intervening variables that affect the use of skin-to-skin holding.  The research question addressed in this study is what are the maternal experiences of and responses to skin-to-skin holding of one’s premature infant in the Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery?

Using qualitative naturalistic inquiry, 18 mothers were interviewed using leading questions that placed intrinsic value on maternal-infant interaction, maternal confidence, and maternal presence to determine the maternal experiences of skin-to-skin holding one’s premature infant in the NICU.  Additionally, detailed observations of each mother's holding experience was analyzed for themes in maternal behaviors and interactions, and related nursing and environmental interactions. 

Data was analyzed for themes to describe the maternal experience of skin-to-skin holding.  Triangulation of demographic data, observation data, and themes of the interviews support the use of skin-to-skin holding as a method to improve maternal confidence in caring for premature infants.  Results of this study benefits nurses by identifying maternal experiences of and responses to skin-to-skin holding in the NICU.  The direct benefit of this study is the increased understanding of the multifaceted advantages of skin-to-skin holding for maternal attachment.