The purpose of this study was to compare maternal attitude and self confidence for infant care of primiparas of rooming-in and not rooming-in.

The subjects were 128 primiparas who had delivered at eight general hospital in Seoul. 67 primiparas were in three rooming-in facilities and 61 primiparas were in five not rooming-in facilities.

The data were collected from primiparas using Cohler's Maternal Attitude Scale and Pharis' Self Confidence Scale at postpartal 1 or 2 weeks.

The results of this study were as follows :

1. The mean of maternal attitude was 100.32 and the range was from 82 to 138. The score of primiparas in rooming-in(100.94) was higher than those of not rooming-in(97.43). There was a significant difference in maternal attitudes between rooming-in group and not rooming-in group(P=.001). There were no significant differences in maternal attitude according to age and infant sex. But types of feeding were related to maternal attitude (P=.017).

2. The mean of self confidence for infant care was 119.55 and the range was from 58 to 173. The mean of primiparas in rooming-in(123.10) was higher than those of not rooming-in (115.86). There was a significant difference in self confidence for infant care between rooming-in group and not rooming-in group (P=.040). No significant differences existed in self confidence for infant care according to age, infant sex, and types of feeding.

3. The rate of breast feeding was 64.2% in rooming-in group and 34.4% in not rooming-in group at postpartal 1 or 2 weeks. There was a significant difference in breast feeding between the two groups(P=.004).

In conclusion, rooming-in facilities provided primiparas with more positive maternal attitude and greater self confidence for infant care and increased the rate of breast feeding.