Interviews: Int 1 And Int

¶ … interviews: Int 1 and Int 5. Considering first the commonalities reported in the interviews it seems reasonable to argue that both mothers were quite pleased with the overall care provided directly after the birth of their children. Both respondents noted that the social worker had been quite helpful in providing them with support. In addition, both respondents reported that the nurses working with their infants had provided considerable information and support. Despite all of these support areas, both mothers reported that they had not made any decisions about their infant's overall care. Neither mother seems to be upset about this reality; however both seem somewhat uncertain about the overall processes involved with caring for their infants.

In addition to noting similar experiences with care, both mothers also note the challenges that exist when it comes to meeting the demands of work, family and having an infant in the hospital. Mother 1 notes that she must balance the demands of work with the needs of her infant and her family. "Well usually, my husband and me, we both work, so uhm, I take her to my sister-in-law, now that my mother is, you know, is out of town, I take her to my sister-in-law and sends her to school, and in the afternoon whoever gets out first from work go picks her up, you know, and takes care of her." Mother 2 notes similar challenges in her efforts to balance the needs of her infant, job and two other children: "Well I worked till midnight, so then I had to get up get the kid off to school. [...]Then right after I hung up with you, the older son called because he had forgotten his lunch money. [...]I got back home and got dressed and I had the little one with me and we just jumped out of bed and ran to the school and got him together and ready and took him to the baby sitter..." Clearly, both mothers are making considerable sacrifices in order to visit their newborns.

Other similarities that were noted between the interviews were the experiences of the mothers and their desire to bring their infants home. Although Mother 1 expressed some anxiety about the process, she believed that the information provided by the hospital would be useful. Mother 2 is also anxious; she is hoping that her child will be able to come home soon as this will be a sign that he is healthy. Finally, both mothers appear to have considerable support from family and coworkers in their efforts to balance work, family and the newborn. However, Mother 2 does note that her husband has not been much help during this time. Mother 1 reports that her husband has been extremely supportive and active.

Considering the differences between the two interviews, it seems reasonable to argue that there only a few differences overall. One of the most prominent differences is the experiences of the mothers with respect to being without their infants. While both mothers agree that they miss their infants, Mother 2 notes that she is having some difficulty keeping her son off of her mind: "I find that I call frequently when I am at home. I don't think that is a problem. I feel and I know my husband feels like 'why are you calling again.'" Although the difference in reaction may be due to the child's health -- as infant 1 is doing much better than infant 2 -- this may also be indicative of a pressing problem such as depression that has developed in the aftermath of the birth.

Identification of Themes

The second issue that must be addressed in the context of this investigation is an identification of themes. Based on the data provided in each of the interviews, it seems reasonable to argue that there are a host of themes that prominent in these cases. Thus, it is important to consider these themes in reviewing the transcripts. The themes identified are as follows:

Initial Loss of Control: The experience of having a pre-term infant produces a sense of loss of control. Both mothers reported that the experience was one that was difficult because it did not fit their expectations. Mother 1 stated: "It's kinda... you know you're glad you have the baby and the baby's doing fine but you were...you know it's like a shock you weren't expecting it to happen this way." Mother 2 noted that, "It's more of an emotional stress. Its like you expect good things to happen and then as good things start happening something happens and it all changes. Additionally, both mothers noted making changes to their plans in the aftermath of the birth. In both cases, maternity care was put on hold and schedule changes were needed to ensure that all of the demands of work, family and home could be met.

The initial loss of control appears to be well illustrated in early questions posed to the mothers about the habits and responses of their infants. Both Mother 1 and 2 both noted in their initial interviews that they were largely unfamiliar with their babies, what calmed them down and what they liked and disliked. However, as illustrated in the interview from Mother 1, as the time the baby spent in the hospital progressed, the mother became more aware of her baby's needs and how to effectively meet these needs. Over the time, it appeared as if Mother 1 gained considerable confidence about her ability to care for her child and the specific issues that would need to be addressed once she took her baby home.

The Role of Support Staff in the Hospital Setting: Based on the data provided by both of the mothers, the support received in the early days of hospitalization were of critical importance to the mothers. Both felt as if the nursing staff were providing the best possible care and that the social workers had been effective in role for helping the mothers address practical concerns such as how to access services, call to get updates and provide comfort for their infants. In addition, both Mothers reported that they liked the 24-hour access provided by the hospital. This appeared to be important in helping the Mothers find the time to visit the hospital once they returned to work.