If the baby is born prematurely, the mother often feels a sense of guilt over not carrying the pregnancy to term. If the baby is born sick, the mother asks herself if she did something wrong. She may feel inadequate and powerless. The emotional stress is hard to bear. The NICU environment is new.
Lights are bright, monitors are big, and the alarms are constantly sounding.
Some mothers said they were shocked at their infants' tiny size and fragile appearance and viewed their infant's irritability or bruises as stressful. Families become more accustomed to the NICU environment, infant's size and appearance as time goes on. Separation from your new baby is difficult. Some parents feel that holding their tiny or sick infants will hurt them. Parents have many concerns related to the infant's health.