Care of hospitalized infants and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic: an international survey.

This research study explored changes in family-centered care practices for hospitalized infants and families due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This exploratory descriptive study used a 49-item online survey, distributed to health care professionals working with hospitalized infants and families. The sample consisted of 96 participants from 22 countries. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 87% of units welcomed families and 92% encouraged skin-to-skin care. During the pandemic, family presence was restricted in 83% of units, while participation in infant care was restricted in 32%. Medium-sized (20-40 beds) units applied less restriction than small (<20 beds) units (p = 0.03). Units with single-family rooms that did not restrict parental presence, implemented fewer restrictions regarding parents' active participation in care (p = 0.02). Restrictions to families were not affected by geographic infection rates or developmental care education of health care professionals. Restrictions during the pandemic increased separation between the infant and family.

[DEVELOPMENTAL CARE IN THE NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT ACCORDING TO NEWBORN INDIVIDUALIZED DEVELOPMENTAL CARE AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NIDCAP)].

During hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the brain of the preterm infant undergoes a particularly vulnerable and sensitive period of development. Brain development might be negatively influenced by direct injury as well as by complications of prematurity. Over the past few years, stress has come to be increasingly recognized as a potential risk factor. The NICU environment contains numerous stress factors due to maternal deprivation and over-stimulation, such as light, sound and pain, which conflict with the brain's developmental requirements. Developmental care is a caregiving approach that addresses the early developmental needs of the preterm infant as an integral component of quality neonatal care. NIDCAP (Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program) is a comprehensive program that aims to reduce environmental stress, to support the infant's neuro-behavioral maturation and organization, and to promote early parent-infant relationships. The implementation of developmental care based on NIDCAP principles is a gradual, in-depth systems change process, which affects all aspects of care in the NICU. This review describes the theoretical basis of the NIDCAP approach, summarizes the scientific evidence and addresses some of the implications of the transition from a traditional to a developmental care NICU.

The transition to oral feeding in low-risk premature infants: relation to infant neurobehavioral functioning and mother-infant feeding interaction.

BACKGROUND: The achievement of oral feeding is a critical task for the premature infant-mother dyad, yet neurobehavioral and relational factors associated with feeding difficulties of low-risk premature infants during hospitalization are not well understood. AIM: To examine the relations between infant neurobehavioral functioning, the transition to oral feeding, and the emerging mother-infant feeding relationship in premature infants. STUDY DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Ninety-seven low-risk premature infants (birth weight>1000 g; gestational age>30 weeks) and their mothers were followed at the NICU. Neurobehavioral functioning was assessed with the Rapid Neonatal Neurobehavioral Assessment Procedure. OUTCOME MEASURES: The duration of the transition to oral feeding and specific feeding difficulties during the transition were assessed. Infant feeding robustness, suck and milk transfer rates, and maternal adaptability, affect, intrusiveness and distractibility were coded from videotaped mother-infant feeding interactions prior to discharge from the NICU. RESULTS: Thirty percent of the infants presented feeding difficulties during the transition to oral feedings. Infants with abnormal neurobehavioral functioning (37% of the cohort) showed more feeding difficulties, slower suck rates, and lower feeding robustness, and their mothers displayed less adaptive and more intrusive behavior. Maternal intrusiveness was related to lower feeding robustness and to lower suck and milk transfer rates. Neurobehavioral functioning and maternal feeding behavior predicted feeding robustness. CONCLUSIONS: Less intact neurobehavioral functioning in the neonatal period is related to difficulties during the transition to oral feeding and to less optimal early mother-infant feeding interactions. Low-risk premature infants with poor neurobehavioral functioning should receive special attention and care.

The Mother-Infant Feeding Relationship Across the First Year and the Development of Feeding Difficulties in Low-Risk Premature Infants.

Although feeding problems are common during infancy and are typically accompanied by relational difficulties, little research observed the mother-infant feeding relationship across the first year as an antecedent to the development of feeding difficulties. We followed 76 low-risk premature infants and their mothers from the transition to oral feeding in the neonatal period to the end of the first year. Prior to hospital discharge, microlevel patterns of maternal touch and gaze were coded during feeding and nonfeeding interactions, global patterns of maternal adaptation were assessed, and infants' neurobehavioral status was tested. Psychomotor development was evaluated at 4 months. At 1 year, feeding difficulties were determined on the basis of maternal interview and direct observations of feeding interactions. Mothers of infants who exhibited feeding difficulties at 1 year showed less affectionate touch and gaze during nonfeeding interactions and more gaze aversion and lower adaptability during feeding interactions already in the neonatal period. Infants with feeding difficulties demonstrated poorer psychomotor performance at 4 months. Feeding interactions of infants with feeding difficulties at 1 year were characterized by higher maternal intrusiveness, lower infant involvement, and greater infant withdrawal. Less maternal affectionate touch and lower maternal adaptation in the neonatal period, poor infant psychomotor skills, and higher maternal intrusiveness and lower infant involvement at 1 year predicted feeding difficulties. The findings underscore the role of the relational components across the first year in the development of feeding difficulties.