Premium
Providing a Nurturing Environment for Infants in Adverse Situations: Multisensory Strategies for Newborn Care
Author(s) -
WhiteTraut Rosemary
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
the journal of midwifery and womens health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.543
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1542-2011
pISSN - 1526-9523
DOI - 10.1016/j.jmwh.2004.05.004
Subject(s) - massage , intervention (counseling) , psychological intervention , psychology , kangaroo care , developmental psychology , infant development , stressor , pacifier , medicine , pediatrics , clinical psychology , psychiatry , alternative medicine , pathology , breastfeeding
Giving birth in dangerous settings, such as natural disasters and war, can have long‐lasting consequences on infant growth and development. It is during birth and the neonatal period that mother and baby are particularly vulnerable to environmental stressors. This article explores the neurohormonal aspects of stress and social bonding and offers strategies aimed at reducing maternal and infant stress and improving the mother‐infant relationship. Low‐tech interventions, such as massage, Kangaroo Mother Care, and multisensory intervention (maternal voice, massage, eye‐to‐eye contact, and rocking) are described for their use in adverse environments.