The purpose of this study was to contribute to maternal nursing in the early postpartum stage and neonate nursing. Data were collected through self-report questionaires which were constructed to include perception of the newborn scale, parental role stress scale and anxiety scale. The subjects consisted of 81 mothers of preterm babies at seven hospitals in Seoul and Kyoungki-Do, from July 15 to September 30, 2000. Data were analysed by SPSS/PC using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, ANOVA, t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient. The results were summarized as follows ; 1. The mean of perception of the newborn in the early postpartum stage was 1.35. The mean of parental role stress was 10.78. The mean of anxiety of mother was 39.74. 2. There were significant positive correlation between parental role stress and anxiety of mothers. 3. There were not significant influencing general characteristics to perception of the newborn and parental role stress. General characteristics related to the level of anxiety were economic status, expectation of pregnancy, birthing order, newborn weight. The above findings indicated that the level of parental role stress and anxiety of preterm birth mothers were correlated. Therefore nursing intervention for reducing parental role stress and anxiety should be provided for preterm birth mothers.