Background- The Mother Newborn Care Unit (MNCU) is a unit offering 24×7 Level II care dedicated to sick or low birth weight newborns with postnatal care for mothers within the same setting. The present study aims to explore the experiences of the mothers whose babies are admitted in MNCU.

Methods- The experiences of postpartum mothers whose newborns were admitted to Safdarjung Hospital's MNCU were explored by using a qualitative phenomenological research design. Through a purposive sampling technique, 15 eligible postpartum mothers who could speak Hindi or English were chosen. Mothers whose newborns had spent less than 24 hours in the MNCU or who had been diagnosed with psychiatric illnesses were excluded. The hospital's institutional ethics committee granted ethical approval (IEC/VMMC/SJH/PROJECT/2025-June/13). In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect qualitative data of maternal experiences using demographic details, observational notes, and non-verbal cues. At least 3 follow-up interviews were conducted with mothers to further explore their experiences over time.

Results- Thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with mothers revealed 10 major themes, followed by detailed transcription, translation, systematic coding & the organization of data into meaningful categories and 21 subthemes. According to the study, major themes were positive psychological adaptation, strengthening through active participation, conducive institutional environment, enhanced health awareness, improved maternal satisfaction, decreased anxiety regarding newborn health, and improved maternal-newborn bonding. Health awareness and psychological resilience of mothers were further enhanced by peer engagement and nursing assistance. However, challenges like postpartum fatigue & discomfort, decreased time with family as a result of strict visiting guidelines, and concerns about the newborn’s health have been observed. Despite these concerns, mothers remained hopeful and emotionally resilient.

Conclusion- The findings highlight the positive psychological impacts of the MNCU model, particularly in enhancing bonding, mothers’ emotional well-being, empowerment via active engagement, and the adoption of improved coping mechanisms. 

Bhawna Verma is a dedicated Nursing Officer with over 18 years of experience, specializing in Neonatal Intensive Care, Lactation Counselling & Pediatric HDU. She currently serves as Lactation Nursing Officer and immediate Kangaroo Mother Care Trainer at VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi. Bhawna has led training programs across multiple states and contributed to national health initiatives through research, workshops, and publications in Scopus-indexed journals. She is a PhD nursing scholar & holds an M.Sc. in Child Health Nursing and certifications in Breastfeeding & Infant Feeding Counselling. She has received multiple national awards including Best Critical Care Nurse and four Best Research Paper Presentation (2025). Her thesis & other previous researches explored sensory & feeding problems in children with developmental disabilities, and she continues to lead impactful research in maternal and child health. She is also a guest speaker at national and international forums. Bhawna combines clinical expertise with a passion for education, patient safety, and advancing neonatal care.