Maternal Stress Responses and Coping Following a NICU Experience

Background/Objectives: Mothers of infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) experience significant stress, which can have lasting effects on mental health and parent–infant bonding. This mixed-methods study aimed to explore maternal stress response, coping, and resilience by examining physiological stress markers and maternal narratives. Methods: A total of 28 mothers who had an infant hospitalized in the NICU within the past three years participated in a two-hour laboratory session, which included stress induction using the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Salivary cortisol (sCort) and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured to assess physiological responses. Results: Qualitative analysis of maternal narratives identified two distinct response patterns: an anger/trauma (AT) group (n = 7) and a gratitude/optimism (GO) group (n = 6), with the remaining 15 mothers classified as a mixed (M) group. GO mothers exhibited significantly higher cortisol reactivity during recovery compared to AT mothers (p < 0.01). While GO mothers had higher baseline HF-HRV, no significant between-group differences were found in HRV responses. Conclusions: Findings suggest that maternal perception of NICU experiences is associated with distinct physiological stress response patterns, highlighting the importance of stress appraisal and coping in maternal well-being.