Of the 130 million children born in the world each year, four million die in the neonatal stage. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a serious congenital anomaly that can be seen at a rate of 5-8 per 1000 live births and is associated with 7% of all neonatal deaths (Aykan et al., 2022; Ertürk, 2016). Although pediatric cardiology and pediatric cardiovascular surgery have advanced, current data show that 21% of infants with congenital heart disease still die in the first month and 40% die due to congenital malformations (Beider et al., 2010). Early diagnosis of CHD, which is difficult to diagnose due to hemodynamic difference, and planning the treatment are important in terms of reducing morbidity and mortality in children (Bulut et al., 2012). While most of the babies with severe heart disease die in the first weeks of their lives, 25% of them need surgical intervention in the first week of their life (Özkan et al., 2010).

Preterm and term newborns, who have to spend the first week of their lives in neonatal intensive care units, are exposed to many invasive procedures (2-3 or 8-10 times a day) and experience pain and stress for different reasons. The pain experienced by the baby can prevent his behavior, family-baby interaction, and the baby's adaptation to the outside world, as well as cause changes in the development of the brain and senses, and growth is negatively affected (Derebent, 2006). By maintaining the balance between medical interventions and good primary care, babies' stress, pain and anxiety symptoms should be reduced. Easy-to-apply, low-cost non-pharmacological methods can be effective alone in pain caused by small invasive interventions; It has been reported that when used together with pharmacological methods, they increase the effectiveness of drugs (Şaduman, 2011).

The mother, whose baby is in the intensive care unit, has difficulties in establishing a close relationship with her child, and the mother's anxiety makes the attachment process more difficult. Effective nursing interventions to meet the needs of parents; helping parents to understand the infant's reactions, expressing their fears and expectations, actively listening to them, answering questions honestly, informing the parent about the treatment plan and program. It is also a nurse's responsibility to ensure mother-child interaction by enabling the mother to participate more in the care of the child (Özyazıcıoğlu, 2009). Increasing maternal experiences is important in mother-infant interaction. The most important component of these interventions is that intensive care nurses help the mother to be a good observer in evaluating her behavior in order to increase the mother's self-confidence in taking care of the baby and to strengthen her better relationship with her baby. The goal is primarily to ensure that the mother perceives her baby positively. Then, it is to give the mother the opportunity to touch, hold, care and observe her baby and to support her to give sensitive and positive reactions to her reactions to environmental stimuli. Thus, the mother's self-confidence, her ability to read the baby's reactions and her ability to meet the baby's needs are increased (Aras et al., 2013). The most commonly used non-pharmacological techniques in the care of these babies are various techniques and therapies such as reducing environmental stimuli, individualized developmental care and evaluation program of the newborn, music therapy, breastfeeding, supporting non-nutritive sucking, giving sweet solution, skin-to-skin contact, changing position, hugging, kangaroo care, massage therapy and wrapping. These techniques and therapies have an improving effect on cardiovascular and skeletal muscle functions (Beider et al., 2010; Yıldız, 2017).

The sense of touch is very important in the child's perception of his environment, especially in the newborn and infancy period. The baby communicates and recognizes his environment through the sense of touch. Appropriate stimulation of the sense of touch supports psychosocial development. Baby massage is a simple, inexpensive and effective technique that is beneficial for baby development. Baby massage is a new practice in our country, which many families are interested in, both for this reason and because it allows parents to freely apply it to their babies. Touch is proof of love. The creation of mother-father-infant interaction and the development of healthy attachment affect the development of the baby and his whole life. The family's loving attachment to the baby is the most important factor that accelerates its healthy growth and development. Massage; It is the mechanical and nervous stimulation of the skin, subcutaneous adipose tissue, muscles, internal organs, metabolism, circulation and lymph system for therapeutic and/or protective purposes. Many positive effects such as providing relaxation, reducing painful muscle tensions, relieving sleep problems and pain, improving self-esteem in individuals with physical disorders and terminal illness, and managing mental health problems can be achieved with massage application (Gürol, 2010). In addition, baby massage is between mother and baby.