Purpose: This study was done to develop a new nursing intervention, Meridian Massage, and to investigate its effect on weight in infants and mother-infant interaction.
Method: This study was conducted using a quasi experimental non equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Thirty-one newborn infants from a postpartum Management Center were selected and assigned to two groups, experimental and control. Data were collected from February 1 to September 30, 2004. Infants in the experimental group (16) were given Meridian massage for 15 minutes daily for 6 days and weighed every day at 10 am. Using the Nursing Child Assessment Feeding Scale(1978), mother-infant interaction was determined before the treatment, after 1 week and 1 month after the massage.
Results: Infants in the experimental group had a higher average weight than those in the control group and the difference was significant (Z=-2.29, p=.022). For mother-infant interaction, the experimental group had higher scores tHan the control group, and the difference was significant between both the two groups, and the 3 measurement times.
Conclusion: The Meridian Massage in this study showed positive weight gain and positive mother-infant interaction. This study shows that meridian massage is an effective nursing intervention in improving infant development.
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