Effect of Music Therapy on Amount of Expressed Breast Milk and Anxiety Among Mothers of Babies Admitted in NICU

Abstract

Babies admitted in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU), whose sucking reflex is weak cannot suck well onto the breast. So, mothers require expressing their breast milk to feed their babies. The admissions of the child to the NICU poses stress for the mother, which could affect breast milk production. Therefore, an expressive evaluatory study to measure the result of music therapy on amount of articulated breast milk and nervousness among mothers of babies in NICU was done. The research design was two group pretest posttest design. Sample included postpartum mothers whose babies were admitted in NICU. The sampling technique used in this study was non-probability purposive sampling. Data collection was done using semistructured interview schedule, observation checklist and rating scale to assess anxiety. The mean values of amount of milk expressed on day 1, 2 and 3 were 13.17, 16.62 and 20.42 respectively in group I. Whereas the mean values of amount of milk expressed on day 1, 2 and 3 were 18.05, 20.25 and 23.93 respectively in group II. This suggested that breast milk amount increased on consequent days. Music therapy had significant affection amount of breast milk expressed and on level of anxiety.