Parents’ expectations of staff in the early bonding process with their premature babies in the intensive care setting: a qualitative multicenter study with 60 parents

BMC Pediatrics

Laurence Caeymaex⁷  Elodie Zana-Taïeb⁴  Pierre-Henri Jarreau⁴  Olivier Baud³  Claude Danan⁶  Charlotte Bony⁵  Sandra Lescure⁴  Xavier Durrmeyer⁶  Brigitte Benier⁵  Elodie Amrani¹  Natacha Michelin²  Sonia Guillaume⁵ 

[1] Service de Médecine Néonatale, Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Creteil, 40 avenue de Verdun, Créteil, France;Service de Médecine et Reanimation néonatales, Hôpital Port-Royal Cochin, APHP, Paris, France;INSERM U676, Paris, France;Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France;PremUp, Paris, France;CRC CHI, Créteil, France;INSERM U669, Université Paris Descartes UMR-S0669, Paris, France

关键词: Parenting;    Family centered care;    Nurses;    NICU;    Newborn;    Child development;    Bond;    Prematurity;   

Others  :  1164265
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2431-13-18

 received in 2012-09-26, accepted in 2013-01-24,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

During the first weeks of hospitalization, premature babies and their parents encounter difficulties in establishing early bonds and interactions. Only a few studies have explored what caregivers can do to meet parents' needs in relation to these interactions and help optimize them. This study sought to explore parents' perception of these first interactions and to identify the actions of caregivers that help or hinder its development.

Methods

Prospective study, qualitative discourse analysis of 60 face-to-face interviews conducted with 30 mothers and 30 fathers of infants born before 32 weeks of gestation (mean ± SD: 27 ± 2 weeks of gestational age), during their child's stay in one out of three NICUs in France. Interviews explored parental experience, from before birth up to the first month of life.

Results

Data analysis uncovered two main themes, which were independent of parents' geographical or cultural origin but differed between mothers and fathers. First, fathers described the bond with their child as composed more of words and looks and involving distance, while mothers experienced the bond more physically. Secondly, two aspects of the caregivers' influence were decisive: nurses' caring attitude towards baby and parents, and their communication with parents, which reduced stress and made interactions with the baby possible. This communication appeared to be the locus of a supportive and fulfilling encounter between parents and caregivers that reinforced parents' perception of a developing bond.

Conclusions

At birth and during the first weeks in the NICU, the creation of a bond between mothers and fathers and their premature baby is rooted in their relationship with the caregivers. Nurses' caring attitude and regular communication adapted to specific needs are perceived by parents as necessary preconditions for parents' interaction and development of a bond with their baby. These results might allow NICU staff to provide better support to parents and facilitate the emergence of a feeling of parenthood.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Guillaume et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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