Risks in the Safety Circle: Newborn Care Practices of Mothers

Abstract

Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the newborn care practices of mothers in terms of newborn safety risk.
 Method: This research is descriptive. The study included 248 mothers with newborn babies. The study was carried out in Nevşehir State Hospital between May 2018 and August 2019. The data were collected using the Questionnaire Form and the Neonatal Safety Information Form developed by the researchers. 
 Results:Of the mothers, 44.8% experience the risk of falling their infant, they fall asleep while breastfeeding at night, 10.5% rock their infant hard to put them to sleep, 35.5% swaddled their infant tightly, 52.0% put hot water with a thermophore on their infant's feet when in the presence of gas discomfort. Of the mothers, 25.4% used detergent and bleach while washing the infant's clothes, 48.0% used pacifier clip/holders, and 54.0% used powder for diaper rash.
 Conclusions and Suggestions: In the study, it was determined that infants might be exposed to risks such as aspiration, infection, falling, swing fast, burns and trauma due to swaddling, unsafe travel, exposure to chemicals, and suffocation of infants. For newborn safety, mothers should be trained in newborn care beginningfrom their pregnancy and ensure the continuity of these pieces of training.