Articles - Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem

ABSTRACT

Objectives:

to identify mothers’ perceptions about caring for newborns in the home environment, from the perspective of complexity thinking.

Methods:

qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research, carried out between November/2022 and February/2023. Data were collected through individual interviews with 21 mothers from southern Brazil who cared for newborns at home and analyzed using the thematic analysis technique.

Results:

the four thematic axes resulting from the data analysis: Living amidst order and disorder; embracing singularities; dealing with the certain and the uncertain; support network in the (re)organizing process demonstrate that the mother caring for a newborn in their home environment experiences a distinct and plural adaptive process, which must be welcomed and understood by health professionals who work within the family environment.

Final Considerations:

the care of newborns in a home environment, in the perception of mothers, requires differentiated attention and a formal or informal support network that considers the unique specificities of each woman/mother in the personal, family and social spheres. Therefore, in addition to the social support network, it is important to rethink home intervention approaches.