Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours)

School

School of Psychology and Social Science

Faculty

Faculty of Computing, Health and Science

First Supervisor

Associate Professor Deborah Hersh

Second Supervisor

Corina Gill

Abstract

This study explored the perceptions of discharge from hospital and the transition home for mothers of newborns with feeding issues. To gain an understanding of their experiences, mothers were interviewed twice, once at discharge and once up to a month later. Participants had a strong desire for their babies to be discharged from hospital, but felt anxious and underprepared. Once home, more questions typically arose. Mothers found this a highly stressful and emotional experience, especially for those without consistent speech pathology involvement. Mothers valued being involved in the decision-making process, and found this an effective coping mechanism. The value of speech pathology involvement during discharge and transition was apparent throughout this study.

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