Breast Milk Feeding for Infants Who Required Major Surgery.

Objective: To identify barriers or facilitators that influenced mothers to provide mother's own milk (MOM) for 6 months to their infants who were hospitalized in the NICU after major surgery.

Design: Descriptive qualitative.

Setting: An 80-bed, Level 4 NICU of a regional pediatric hospital in the western United States.

Influences of Animal-Assisted Intervention With Canine and Feline Pen Pals on Experiences of Living With Cancer and Blood Disorders in Children and Adolescents.

Animal-assisted intervention (AAI) involving live visits with canines shows strong promise to improve quality of life (QOL) in hospitalized youth with cancer or blood disorders. The emerging field of virtual AAI allows access to AAI regardless of setting and extends to children at home. Youth and Pet Survivors™ (YAPS) is a novel form of virtual AAI with dog and cat pen pals who share a diagnosis of cancer or serious illness.

Social Determinants of Health and Parenting Self-Efficacy Among Mothers of Preterm Infants.

Objective: To explore the relationships between social and environmental factors and parenting self-efficacy (PSE) among mothers of preterm infants hospitalized in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) using a social determinants of health (SDoH) framework.

Method: We analyzed data from a prospective cohort study that included 187 mother-infant dyads admitted to four NICUs in the Mountain West region between June 2017 and December 2019. We used multivariable linear regression models to assess the independent associations between maternal and infant characteristics and PSE.

NICU Visitation Time and Adherence to Safe Sleep Practices Among Mothers of Very Preterm Infants.

Background: Sleep-associated infant death is the leading cause of postneonatal mortality in the United States. Preterm infants are at higher risk for sleep-associated death, but maternal adherence to safe sleep practices is lower than for mothers of full-term infants. Data are lacking on whether maternal neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) visitation time impacts safe sleep compliance after hospital discharge.

Factors Which May Contribute to the Success or Failure of the Use of Mother's Own Milk in a Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Background: Benefits of mother's own milk (MOM) for infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are well known. Many mothers provide for their infant's feedings during their entire hospitalization while others are unable. Knowledge is limited about which infant and maternal factors may contribute most to cessation of MOM feedings.

Comparisons of Three Measures of Maternal Engagement Activities in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Background: Mothers' engagement with their hospitalized preterm infant(s) is recognized as an important aspect of treatment in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). However, no gold standard exists for measuring maternal engagement, and the various methods used to measure mothers' time have documented limitations.

Objectives: This study sought to compare three measurement methods of maternal engagement (a five-item maternal cross-sectional survey, time use diaries, and electronic health records [EHRs]) to identify whether these methods capture consistent data and patterns in detected differences in measures of engagement.

The Association of Social Factors and Time Spent in the NICU for Mothers of Very Preterm Infants.

Objectives: Evaluate the association between maternal social factors and maternal time spent in the NICU for very preterm infants admitted to 4 level III and IV NICUs.

Methods: In this prospective observational cohort study, we enrolled mother-infant dyads whose infants were born <32 weeks' gestation. Enrollment occurred after 2 weeks of NICU exposure, when maternal social factors and demographic information was collected.

Comparison of electromagnetic guided imagery to standard confirmatory methods for ascertaining nasogastric tube placement in children.

Purpose: Evaluate the accuracy of an electromagnetic device (EMD) guided nasogastric tube (NGT) placement compared with standard confirmation methods. A secondary aim was to determine if EMD guided NGT placement would avert potential pulmonary misplacements of the tube.

Design And Methods: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) patients were enrolled if they had an NGT order during the study period of April 2014 through December 2016.

Youth and Pet Survivors: Exploring the Experiences of Pediatric Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant Patients in a Virtual Animal-Assisted Therapy Pen Pal Program.

YAPS™ (Youth and Pet Survivors™) is a form of virtual animal-assisted therapy (AAT), a pen pal program designed for children and adolescents with cancer and/or having a bone marrow transplant (BMT) to engage in virtual visits with a dog or a cat (who has also been treated for cancer or serious medical illness) through letter writing and pictures. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the experiences of YAPS participants over time and to explore how virtual AAT may be an additional or alternative intervention to the traditional form of AAT, which involves live visits with animals, primarily dogs. Open-ended, face-to-face interviews were conducted throughout the participants' involvement with their animal pen pal.

Mothers' Experiences in the NICU Before Family-Centered Care and in NICUs Where It Is the Standard of Care.

Background: Family-centered care (FCC) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) was initiated in 1992 to promote a respectful response to individual family needs and support parental participation in care and decision-making for their infants. Although benefits of FCC have been reported, changes in the maternal experience in the NICU are unknown.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare mothers' experiences in NICUs where FCC is the standard of care and to compare these with the experiences of mothers 2 decades ago.

Mothering in the NICU: A qualitative exploration of maternal engagement.

Research suggests maternal engagement in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may positively impact maternal and infant health outcomes. However, the U.S.

Comparison of two tools to assess dyad feeding interaction in infants with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the Mother-Infant/Toddler Feeding Scale (MITFS) and the Nursing Child Assessment Feeding Scale (NCAFS). Specific questions were as follows: (1) Are there differences between the results of the MITFS and the NCAFS tools in terms of rating infant feeding interactions? And (2) does one tool provide a more detailed, nuanced overview of the quality of feeding interactions than the other?

Design And Methods: This comparative descriptive study is a secondary analysis of a study evaluating a massage intervention for infants with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A feeding observation for each dyad was scored using both the NCAFS and MITFS.

Hormonal and Neuromuscular Responses to Breastfeeding: A Pilot Study.

Objectives: Difficult breastfeeding in the first weeks after birth may result in muscle tension in infants and activation of the maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Our primary objective was to examine the feasibility of collecting neuroendocrine markers of maternal HPA axis and SNS activation (salivary cortisol and α-amylase [sAA]) and electromyographic (EMG) markers of infant distress during feeding in the first 2 weeks after birth. We also examined the relationships of these indices to each other and to mother-infant interactive behaviors during feeding.

Prepregnancy Obesity and a Biobehavioral Predictive Model for Postpartum Depression.

Objective: To test a predictive model of the associations among prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), third-trimester biological and behavioral variables, and symptoms of depression at 4 weeks postpartum.

Design: Secondary data analysis from a longitudinal, biobehavioral repeated-measures study of women during the third trimester of pregnancy through 6 months postpartum.

Setting: Communities surrounding a Midwestern and a Western U.

Sleep in mother and child dyads during treatment for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Purpose/objectives: To compare the sleep of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) during maintenance treatment with controls and to measure the effect on maternal sleep.

Design: Comparative, descriptive.

Setting: Pediatric oncology clinic and communities in Colorado.

Interactions during feeding with mothers and their infants with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux.

Objectives: To examine whether maternal-child interaction during feedings was suboptimal in dyads in which the infant had gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and to compare massage therapy to a nonmassage therapy sham treatment in improving the mother-child interaction in these dyads.

Design: In this randomized, controlled pilot study, infants received massage therapy (n=18) or a nonmassage touch/holding sham treatment (n=18). Mothers, data collectors, and the investigator who scored the feeding observations were blinded to group assignment.

Anxiety, depression, stress, and cortisol levels in mothers of children undergoing maintenance therapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The purpose of this study was to compare anxiety, depression, and stress between mothers of children during maintenance treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and matched controls. Twenty-six mothers were recruited from the hematology unit at a children's hospital, and 26 mothers were recruited from the community. Participants were matched to their child's age and gender.

Exploring sleep-wake experiences of mothers during maintenance therapy for their child's acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

A qualitative study was designed to explore sleep-wake experience of mothers of children in maintenance treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Interviews were conducted with 20 participants using open-ended, semi-structured questions and were transcribed verbatim. Two main themes emerged: "It's a whole new cancer world" and "I don't remember what it's like to have sleep.

Effect of holding on co-regulation in preterm infants: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To determine whether kangaroo holding of healthy preterm infants over the first eight weeks of an infant's life facilitates co-regulation of salivary cortisol between mother and infant.

Study Design: Randomized control trial. Infants were assigned to receive 1h of daily kangaroo (skin-to-skin contact on the chest of mother) or blanket holding (dressed and held in mother's arms).

Benefits of massage therapy for infants with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Objectives: This randomized controlled pilot trial was conducted to evaluate the clinical efficacy of massage therapy (MT) for relief of symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The hypothesis was that, when compared to infants who received nonmassage therapy, infants who received MT would display fewer GERD symptoms, greater weight gain, greater amount of sleep, lower cortisol levels before and after treatment, and lower daily (area under the curve [AUC]) cortisol secretion.

Methods: Participants were 36 infants born at term, 4-10 weeks of age at enrollment, healthy except for a diagnosis of GERD by their pediatrician, and with a score of at least 16 on the Infant Gastroesophageal Reflux Questionnaire-Revised (I-GERQ-R).

Influence of holding practice on preterm infant development.

Purpose: The purpose of this randomized, controlled trial was to determine if nurse-supported kangaroo holding of healthy preterm infants in the first 8 weeks of the infant's life facilitates early behavioral organization and development.

Methods: We randomized 87 infants born between 32 and 35 weeks gestation and their mothers to one of three holding groups: kangaroo (skin-to-skin between mother's breasts), blanket (held in mother's arms), or control (no holding restrictions). Nurse-supported groups (kangaroo and blanket) received 8 weekly visits from a registered nurse who encouraged holding and provided education about infant development.

A review of nonsurgical treatment for the symptom of irritability in infants with GERD.

Purpose: The purpose of this review was to assess effectiveness of nonsurgical treatment on irritable behavior of infants with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Design And Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted.

Results: Research targeted treatment for irritability in infants with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Maternal holding of preterm infants during the early weeks after birth and dyad interaction at six months.

Objective: To examine whether a supportive nursing intervention that promoted kangaroo holding of healthy preterm infants by their mothers during the early weeks of the infant's life facilitated coregulation between mother and infant at 6 months of age.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Participants: Sixty-five mother/infant dyads with mean gestational age at birth of 33 weeks.

Coregulation in salivary cortisol during maternal holding of premature infants.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine coregulation between mothers and preterm infants in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) system activity, as indicated by salivary cortisol levels, while mothers held their infants. The research questions were (a) does mother-infant coregulation in HPA activity occur during holding? and (b) if mother- infant coregulation in HPA activity exists during holding, do type of holding, antenatal steroids, sound level, and maternal touch influence this coregulation?

Sample: The sample consisted of 20 mother- infant dyads with infants at a mean postconceptional age of 34.7 weeks (+0.