Mother recognition in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

OBJECTIVE: analyze the maternal experience in a neonatal intensive care unit, focusing on relations of recognition. METHOD: a qualitative study, built on the perspective of Gadamer's hermeneutics, based on Honneth's concept of recognition. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 mothers of children admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit. RESULTS: failures were reported in the process of mother recognition in the unit, with consequent feelings of insecurity and obligation to child care, resulting in fragility of self-esteem. CONCLUSION: interactions with health professionals in the NICU and its standards and protocols cause vulnerabilities and affect maternal recognition and autonomy.