| The focus of this study was to identify and describe the reactions of mothers to the birth of their premature infants, any similarities in descriptors of the maternal reaction to the premature birth and a grief response, and possible trends in maternal demographics with a premature birth. This descriptive study used a researcher constructed, semi-structured interview guide with a convenience sample of eight mothers from a small urban city. An interpretive phenomenological approach using a hermeneutic circle analysis identified commonalities in maternal physical and emotional reactions to a traditional grief response. The grief response facilitated and supported maternal adaptation to the premature birth and its consequences. |
