Promoting Maternal Mental Health and Wellbeing in Neonatal Intensive Care

An estimated 400,000‐480,000 infants in the U.S. with serious medical conditions are cared for in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) each year. Maternal stress exposure related to infants' NICU stays is an under‐appreciated public health problem with negative implications for maternal and child health and wellbeing. Flexible, effective intervention strategies have potential to improve maternal mental health and parenting, promoting positive emotional and behavioral outcomes for both mothers and infants. In the investigators' successful pilot research, the investigators developed an audio‐delivered mindfulness program to help NICU mothers reduce rumination and worry, cultivate a state of calm awareness, and promote self care. In this small randomized pilot study, the investigators will randomly assign mothers with an infant in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to receive either the mindfulness intervention or an active control program (audio‐delivered education on infant care and development). This study will evaluate feasibility of all key research aspects, including recruitment, randomization, intervention and control conditions, and assessments, in preparation for a future larger‐scale study. This study will also assess preliminary intervention outcomes to identify potential program benefits.