Abstract

MUNEVAR TORRES, ROSA YOLANDA  and  MUNOZ DE RODRIGUEZ, LUCY. Mothers know and alleviate the pain of the newborn. av.enferm. [online]. 2009, vol.27, n.1, pp.82-92. ISSN 0121-4500.

Objective: to describe the meaning of pain in the newborn, for the mother and her care practices to alleviate it. Methodology: qualitative, ethnographic and small scope study. The sample was saturation of information through 22 in-depth interviews with 8 mothers; field notes and participative observation were used. The analysis followed James Spradley's methodology. Results: the core subject is "the newborn's pain is known, felt and alleviated by the mother with the support of the family"; one of the subtopics is "mothers know and alleviate the pain of their newborns" that comprises five domains: • Pain in different parts of the body: types of pain in the newborn; • See, touch and perceive: ways in which mothers identify pain; • Crying and • Gasses, maternal feeding habits and beliefs: pain causes in the newborn; • Home practices, rituals and medicines: ways to alleviate pain. Conclusion: newborn baby's pain is a threat to health and lives. She knows when and where it hurts and her relief practices are consistent with cultural knowledge. For them she has organic, environmental and mythical causes; hence the nursing care should be sensitive and in agreement with the mother's culture.

Keywords : Pain; Newborn; Nursing Care; Research.

        · abstract in Spanish | Portuguese     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )