Fathers' experiences of supporting their partners during their preterm infant's stay in the neonatal intensive care unit: a multi-method study.


Journal

Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association
ISSN: 1476-5543
Titre abrégé: J Perinatol
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 8501884

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
06 2022
Historique:
received: 19 01 2021
accepted: 20 08 2021
revised: 07 08 2021
pubmed: 3 9 2021
medline: 14 6 2022
entrez: 2 9 2021
Statut: ppublish

Résumé

To explore how the fathers experience their role as a support for their partner and the relationship with them during their preterm infant's stay in the NICU. Multi-method longitudinal study involving ethnographic observation, semi-structured interviews, self-report questionnaires, and clinical information. Twenty fathers of preterm infants hospitalized in a level-III-NICU were included. Data were analyzed using thematic continent analysis. Three main themes were identified: support for mother (subthemes: putting mother's and infant's needs first; hiding worries and negative emotions; counteracting the sense of guilt; fear that the mother would reject the child), mother's care for the infant (subthemes: observing mother engaged in caregiving; mother has "something extra"), and couple relationship (subthemes: collaboration; bond). Fathers supporting their partners during the stay in the NICU experience emotional distress and the need for being supported that often are hidden. This demands a great deal of emotional and physical energy.

Identifiants

pubmed: 34471215
doi: 10.1038/s41372-021-01195-3
pii: 10.1038/s41372-021-01195-3
pmc: PMC8409081
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Pagination

714-722

Informations de copyright

© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.

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Auteurs

Alberto Stefana (A)

Independent Researcher, Brescia, Italy. alberto.stefana@gmail.com.

Paolo Biban (P)

Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Verona, Verona, Italy.

Ezio Maria Padovani (EM)

Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Verona, Verona, Italy.

Manuela Lavelli (M)

Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.

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