Effect of mother's infant massage on neonatal weight and perceived self-efficacy of mothers with low birth weight infants

Introduction: Weight is the most important growth factor in newborns and perceived self-efficacy is known as an effective factor weigh gaining. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of mother's infant massage on neonatal weight and perceived self-efficacy of mothers with low birth weight infants. Materials and Methods: 80 infants were divided into intervention and control groups in this qusiexperimental study in neonatal intensive care unit. 40 low-birth weight infants received massage by their mother for 60 days, 15 minutes a day, and only normal care was taken in the control group. At the end of the study, weight gain and self-efficacy scores were analyzed standard statisctical methods. Results: The results showed that there was a significant difference between the mean weight changes in the intervention group (2120.88± 385.26) and control (1760.88 ± 220.31) at the tenth day of birth and two months (P = 0.001). The results of independent t-test showed a significant increase in self-efficacy scores and its dimensions in the two intervention groups compared to the control group (P<0.001). Conclusion: Low-birth-weight infant massage improves weight gain and promotes perceived self-efficacy in mothers. Due to the low cost of this method, it is suggested to teach massage techniques as one of the essential training during discharge in newborns.