A Thesis on the Phenomenon of Separation between Mother and Baby in the Setting of a Special Care Nursery

lntroduction: Due to the clinical nature of the environment, the mothers engagement in the special care nursery can be limited; as it is unlike any other journey into parenthood. Much of the literature exploring the engagement of mothers in the special care nursery is limited. As such, we don't fully understand the separation between mother and baby and its effects during this period in a special care nursery. Method :In the first part of the study a systematic literature search was conducted per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Secondly, mothers were recruited who met the inclusion criteria and interviewed about their experience of separation from their baby. Conclusion: Mothers felt they were a mother when included as part of the healthcare team, were provided updates, and had a positive relationship with the nurse. The study findings may lend itself to hospital policy and clinical practice changes to improve the journey to motherhood and decrease the effects of separation in the special care nursery.