Maternal role achievement in the process of breast-feeding among mothers of premature infants

本研究旨在探讨早产儿母亲在新生儿重症监护病房（NICU）中通过母乳喂养实现母亲角色的过程。我们发现，母亲在母乳喂养过程中经历了以下几个步骤：“遇到能够产奶的自我”、“与必须继续产奶的自我搏斗”、“评估自己作为母亲的自我形象”、“作为母亲面对婴儿出院的前景犹豫不决”和“获得自尊和抚养孩子的决心”。

This study was performed to elucidate the process whereby mothers of premature infants achieve the maternal role through breast-feeding while their babies are in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We found that mothers went through the following steps in the breast-feeding process: “encountering the self that can produce milk”, “wrestling with the self that must continue to produce milk”, “accessing their self-image as a mother”, “faltering as a mother at the prospect of their baby being discharged from hospital”, and “acquiring self-esteem and determination to bring up their child”.