Mothers' perception of the care of newborn in the home environment.

OBJECTIVES: to identify mothers' perceptions about caring for newborns in the home environment, from the perspective of complexity thinking. METHODS: qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research, carried out between November/2022 and February/2023. Data were collected through individual interviews with 21 mothers from southern Brazil who cared for newborns at home and analyzed using the thematic analysis technique. RESULTS: the four thematic axes resulting from the data analysis: Living amidst order and disorder; embracing singularities; dealing with the certain and the uncertain; support network in the (re)organizing process demonstrate that the mother caring for a newborn in their home environment experiences a distinct and plural adaptive process, which must be welcomed and understood by health professionals who work within the family environment. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: the care of newborns in a home environment, in the perception of mothers, requires differentiated attention and a formal or informal support network that considers the unique specificities of each woman/mother in the personal, family and social spheres. Therefore, in addition to the social support network, it is important to rethink home intervention approaches.

The Relation of Maternal Psychosocial Risk Factors to Infant Safe Sleep Practices.

OBJECTIVES: Sleep-related infant deaths are a common and preventable cause of infant mortality in the United States. Moreover, infants of color are at a greater risk of sleep-related deaths than are White infants. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published safe sleep guidelines to minimize the number of sleep-related infant deaths; however, many families face barriers to following these guidelines. Research on the role of psychosocial risk factors (i.e., depression, stress, domestic violence, substance use) in mothers' engagement in safe sleep practices is limited. The present study examined the role of maternal psychosocial risk factors on maternal safe sleep practices and the moderating effects of maternal race on this relationship. METHODS: Participants in this study were mothers (N = 274) who were recruited from a Midwestern hospital postpartum. Data on the participants' psychosocial risk factors, and safe sleep practices were collected via telephone interview 2-4 months following the birth of their infant. RESULTS: Predictive models indicated that depression and stress impacted mothers' engagement in following the safe sleep guidelines. Specifically, higher levels of maternal depression predicted greater likelihood of co-sleeping, regardless of mothers' race. Higher levels of maternal stress also predicted lower engagement in safe sleep behaviors for White mothers only. CONCLUSION FOR PRACTICE: Early interventions to address stress and depression may help to increase maternal adherence to the AAP's safe sleep guidelines. Additional research on the underlying mechanisms of depression and stress on maternal safe sleep engagement is needed.

The Effect of Media Distractions on Women During Breastfeeding and Infant Care: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: In modern world, the pervasive use of media technologies has seen a significant increase across various domains. The study aimed to assess the level of distraction among lactating women during feeding and infant care, along with exploring associated factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 120 lactating mothers who visited comprehensive health centers in Zanjan City in 2023. The inclusion criteria were lactating mothers older than 18 years, who were within 42 days postpartum. A multistage sampling method was used for participant selection. Data were gathered using a standard maternal distraction questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) test with a confidence level of 95%. Results: The study found that smartphone use (69.7%) was the most common source of distraction for mothers during breastfeeding, while reading books (17.5%) was the least distracting. In addition, 85% of mothers watched television while caring for their babies (except during breastfeeding), and a significant percentage used landline phones (92.5%) and mobile phones (79.2%). It was noted that older mothers tended to be less distracted during feeding or baby care compared with young mothers. Furthermore, maternal attention during baby feeding increased with higher education levels and having more children (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The study concludes that young mothers with lower levels of education experience significantly high levels of distraction while caring for their babies or breastfeeding. Given the substantial availability of media products, interventions are needed to raise mothers' awareness about the importance of maintaining eye contact with their babies and implementing strategies for managing distractions.

Prevalence of potential contact allergens in best-selling baby cleansers.

Many baby cleansers are promoted as hypoallergic products; however, these claims are not typically validated. This study assessed the 50 best-selling baby cleansers from online retailer Amazon for potential allergens. We found that the presence of most marketing claims, including "hypoallergenic" or "allergy-tested," did not correlate with the number of potential allergens in a cleanser. Furthermore, the total number of marketing claims of a cleanser was positively correlated with the number of allergens, highlighting the discordance between marketing claims and allergen content in baby cleansers.

Inconsistency Between Pictures on Baby Diaper Packaging in Europe and Safe Infant Sleep Recommendations.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the level of inconsistency between pictures on baby diaper packaging and safe infant sleep recommendations (SISRs) in Europe. STUDY DESIGN: We attempted to identify all packaging of baby diapers sold in 11 European countries for infants weighing less than 5 kg through internet searches from July 2022 through February 2023. For each type of package, we extracted whether there was a picture depicting a baby, whether the baby was sleeping, and whether the picture of the sleeping baby was inconsistent with ≥1 of 3 SISRs: (i) nonsupine sleeping position, (ii) soft objects or loose bedding, or (iii) sharing a sleep surface with another person. Data were aggregated at the country level, and a random-effects meta-analysis of proportions was used to obtain summary estimates. The outcome was the summary estimate of the proportion of pictures that were inconsistent with SISRs. RESULTS: We identified 631 baby diaper packaging types of which 49% (95% CI: 42-57; n = 311) displayed a picture of a sleeping baby. Among those 311 packages, 79% (95% CI 73-84) were inconsistent with ≥1 SISR, including a nonsupine sleeping position, 45% (95% CI 39-51), soft objects or loose bedding such as pillows or blankets, 51% (95% CI 46-57), and sharing a sleep surface with another person, 10% (95% CI 4-18). CONCLUSIONS: Pictures on baby diaper packaging in Europe are often inconsistent with SISRs. The prevention of sudden unexpected death in infancy requires action from manufacturers and legislators to stop parents' exposure to misleading images that may lead to dangerous practices.

Una revisión acerca del cuidado de la salud mental en las familias de la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales / A Review of the Mental Health Care of Families in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Introducción: el presente trabajo es una revisión de las prácticas que abordan la salud mental perinatal de las familias que atraviesan una internación en Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales (UCIN). Los logros en la mayor sobrevida de recién nacidos de alto riesgo implican internaciones prolongadas y el cuidado emocional de sus familias. Estado del arte: el marco conceptual se refiere al cuidado centrado en las personas y su expresión perinatal en el modelo de Maternidades Seguras y Centradas en la Familia (MSCF). Se incluyen experiencias de referentes locales e internacionales que orientan las intervenciones en el campo. Conclusiones: se destaca la importancia del cuidado emocional en escenarios altamente estresantes, dado su impacto en el cuidado y la construcción de los vínculos tempranos entre los recién nacidos (RN) internados y sus referentes primarios. Se mencionan factores psicológicos de riesgo y posibles modos de abordaje. Se plantean acciones de promoción, prevención y asistencia en este contexto. (AU)

Introduction: This paper reviews practices addressing the perinatal mental health of families hospitalized in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). Achievements in increased survival of high-risk newborns involve prolonged hospitalization and emotional care of their families. State of the art:the conceptual framework refers to person-centered care and its perinatal expression in the Safe and Family-Centered Maternity Model (SFCMM). It includes experiences of local and international referents that guide interventions in the field. Conclusions:the importance of emotional care in highly stressful scenarios is highlighted, given its impact on the care and construction of early bonds between hospitalized newborns (NB) and their primary referents. It mentions psychological risk factors and possible approaches. We propose actions for promotion, prevention, and assistance in this context. (AU)

What are the barriers to sustaining a safe sleep program for infants within hospital settings: An integrative review of the literature.

PROBLEM: Safe sleep programs have been existing since the concept was first defined in 1969. The need for health care providers to model safe sleep practices is essential for successful adherence; however, barriers to promoting safe sleep practices hinder healthcare providers' ability to implement safe sleep in hospital settings. AIM: To determine the barriers to promoting safe sleep practices amongst healthcare workers in the hospital setting. METHODS: Whittemore & Knafl's framework (2005) guided this integrative review. CINAHL, PubMed, and Academic Search Complete databases were used as a search strategy. Inclusion criteria was limited to studies between 2010 and 2021, were peer-reviewed, in English, and quality improvement projects consisting of barriers to implementing safe sleep practices within hospitals. To assess quality of the included studies, the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool and Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence were used. The studies were analyzed by two of the authors with data further categorized using the Social Ecological Model (SEM) to develop themes. RESULTS: Findings of the 10 included studies were presented in the form of a data display matrix. The authors used the SEM to categorize the findings under three main categories at the organizational, individual, and cultural levels. CONCLUSIONS: Barriers need to be addressed in hospital settings to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Therefore, it is vital to consider those barriers while providing teaching programs in hospital settings. IMPLICATIONS: Findings from this review provide the core elements to consider for the development of safe sleep programs in the hospital setting.

Effects of Early Toilet Training and Elimination Communication With Respect to Diaper Types.

To investigate effects of diaper-free times, elimination communication (EC) and early toilet training, a web-based survey was conducted for caregivers. The more diaper-free times an infant experienced during day, the earlier it was toilet trained (P < .001), which was enhanced by the usage of cloth diapers. The amount of diaper-free times significantly reduced the caregiver's continuous sleep, the occurrence of rashes and balm usage (P < .001) and lead to a more regular defecation frequency. Cloth diaper usage had no effect on rashes or balm usage, but on diaper change rate (P < .001). We could show that, although not as effective as full-time EC, part-time EC is more effective if cloth diapers are used, provided they are changed frequently. Furthermore, EC causes a more regular defecation in infants between 1 and 2 years.

Integrative Review of Cobedding of Infant Twins.

OBJECTIVE: To synthesize the evidence on the benefits and risks of cobedding for infant twins and to assess the perceptions and practices of parents and health care workers regarding this practice. DATA SOURCES: We searched the following databases for articles published between 1997 and 2022: CINAHL, Cochrane, Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. STUDY SELECTION: We included full-text articles published in English in which the authors addressed twin cobedding in hospital or home settings. We reviewed the abstracts of 106 articles and retained 54 for full-text review. Of these, 18 met eligibility criteria and were included in the review. DATA EXTRACTION: We extracted the following data: author(s), year of publication, setting, purpose, study design, sample characteristics, methodologic details, outcomes and findings, and limitations. We appraised the quality of each study. DATA SYNTHESIS: In the included articles, researchers identified no differences in apnea, heart rate, or oxygen saturation between cobedded and separately bedded infants. Compared to separately bedded infants, cobedded infants had greater weight gain and synchronization of sleep-wake states. Researchers found benefits for procedural pain relief and recovery after heel lance among cobedded infants. Researchers report that many parents are choosing to cobed their twins, but we found limited qualitative data exploring parents' perceptions or practices. In the included articles, nurses had positive perceptions of twin cobedding. Overall, the quality of evidence was low because of inconsistencies in study methods and small sample sizes that resulted in imprecise results. CONCLUSION: We found potential benefits and no evidence of harm related to cobedding of twin infants. However, the evidence was insufficient to provide recommendations for practice, and additional research is warranted.

Improving Safe Infant Sleep Compliance Through Implementation of a Safe Sleep Bundle.

BACKGROUND: Sleep-related infant deaths continue to be a significant public health issue that nondiscriminately impacts family units with increased risk notably in premature infants discharged home from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The American Academy of Pediatrics endorses the use of safe sleep practices with specific recognition of the unique challenges faced in the NICU setting. PURPOSE: The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to implement a safe sleep bundle and evaluate its effectiveness in improving caregiver compliance to safe sleep practices in a level III NICU at a large joint military medical facility. METHODS: A QI initiative with a pre- and postanalysis was performed using a convenience method of sampling. Infants 32 weeks or more post-menstrual age in a level III NICU were analyzed pre- and post-interventions. The intervention included a safe sleep bundle that encompassed: (1) policy update, (2) standardized sleep sacks, (3) crib cards and certificates, and (4) creation of a provider order set in the electronic health record (EHR). A standardized crib audit tool evaluated sleep and bed position, items in the crib, order set in the EHR with consideration of special medical circumstances. RESULTS: Postintervention assessment after the implementation resulted in a significant improvement of overall safe sleep compliance modeled by NICU staff, increasing to 100% from a baseline of 18% pre-intervention (P = .029). IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH: Role-modeling behaviors of clinical staff may reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths upon discharge. A multifactorial approach can leverage successful strategies for improving safe sleep compliance in a NICU setting.

Infant Care Practices at Home in the First Weeks of Life in Ibadan, South-West Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization recommends essential newborn care, which includes components that should be provided at home and in the community, to improve newborn outcomes. This study was carried out to assess infant care practices at home in the first week of life and how they conform to the provisions of essential newborn care. METHODS: A total of 678 mothers who delivered their babies at Adeoyo Maternity Hospital, Ibadan were visited at home between the 8th and 10th days of delivery. Information on infant care practices with respect to hygiene, feeding, provision of warmth, eye care, cord care, immunization and health seeking behaviour was obtained. RESULTS: Only 9.3% of the mothers washed their hands always before handling their babies, 83.3% did sometimes and 94.0% did so after diaper change. Breastfeeding was the first feed given by 93.8% of mothers, but only 21.6% of them started within one-hour of life. At the end of the first week, 71.2% were still breastfeeding exclusively. Only 16.6% of mothers bathed their newborns on the first day of life. To keep newborns warm, 82.0% shut their windows all day, and 9% lit kerosine-wick lanterns indoors. Mothers used alcohol (97.2%) and breastmilk drops (18.2%) for umbilical cord and eye care, respectively. Only 58.6% and 14.5% of babies had received any vaccination or had postnatal visit, respectively. CONCLUSION: Infant care practices at home for newborns in Ibadan did not substantially conform to the provisions of essential newborn care and many practices were harmful. The need for supportive supervision in addition to health education for essential newborn care is indicated.

CONTEXTE: L'Organisation mondiale de la santé recommande des soins essentiels pour les nouveau-nés, qui comprennent des éléments qui devraient être fournis à domicile et dans la communauté, afin d'améliorer les résultats des nouveau-nés. Cette étude a été menée pour évaluer les pratiques de soins aux nourrissons à domicile au cours de la première semaine de vie et leur conformité aux dispositions des soins essentiels aux nouveau-nés. MÉTHODES: 678 mères ayant accouché à la maternité d'Adeoyo, Ibadan, ont été visitées à leur domicile entre le 8e et le 10e jour de l'accouchement. Des informations sur les pratiques de soins du nourrisson en matière d'hygiène, d'alimentation, d'apport de chaleur, de soins oculaires, de soins du cordon, de vaccination et de comportement de recherche de santé ont été obtenues. RÉSULTATS: Seulement 9,3% des mères se lavaient toujours les mains avant de manipuler leur bébé, 83,3% le faisaient parfois et 94,0% le faisaient après le changement de couche. L'allaitement maternel était le premier aliment donné par 93,8% des mères, mais seulement 21,6% d'entre elles ont commencé dans l'heure qui suit la naissance. A la fin de la première semaine, 71,2% étaient encore en train d'allaiter exclusivement. Seuls 16,6 % des mères ont donné un bain à leur nouveau-né le premier jour de sa vie. Pour garder les nouveau-nés au chaud, 82,0% fermaient leurs fenêtres toute la journée et 9% allumaient des lanternes à mèche de kérosène à l'intérieur. Les mères utilisaient de l'alcool (97,2%) et des gouttes de lait maternel (18,2%) pour les soins du cordon ombilical et des yeux, respectivement. Seuls 58,6% et 14,5% des bébés avaient reçu une vaccination ou une visite postnatale, respectivement. CONCLUSION: Les pratiques de soins à domicile pour les nouveaunés à Ibadan n'étaient pas essentiellement conformes aux dispositions des soins essentiels pour les nouveau-nés et de nombreuses pratiques étaient néfastes. La nécessité d'une supervision de soutien en plus de l'éducation sanitaire pour les soins essentiels aux nouveau-nés est indiquée. Mots clés: Soins aux nourrissons ; Domicile; Nouveau-nés; Première semaine; Communauté.

Quality improvement initiative to improve infant safe sleep practices in the newborn nursery.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that healthcare professionals model their safe infant sleeping environment recommendations, yet adherence to safe sleep practices within our community hospital mother-baby unit was low. We used quality improvement (QI) methodology to increase adherence to infant safe sleep practices, with a goal to improve the proportion of infants sleeping in an environment that would be considered 'perfect sleep' to 70% within a 1-year period. The project occurred while the hospital was preparing for Baby Friendly certification, with increased emphasis on rooming in and skin to skin at the same time.Multiple Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles were performed. Initial cycles targeted nurse and parental education, while later cycles focused on providing sleep sacks/wearable blankets for the infants.While we did not meet our goal, the percentage of infants with 'perfect sleep' increased from a baseline of 41.9% to 67.3%, and we also saw improvement in each of the individual components that contribute to this composite measure. Improvements were sustained over 12 months later, suggesting that QI interventions targeting infant safe sleep in this inpatient setting can have long-lasting results. This project also suggests that infant safe sleep QI initiatives and preparation towards Baby Friendly Hospital Certification can be complementary.

Infant Care Practices, Caregiver Awareness of Safe Sleep Advice and Barriers to Implementation: A Scoping Review.

Modifiable infant sleep and care practices are recognised as the most important factors parents and health practitioners can influence to reduce the risk of sleep-related infant mortality. Understanding caregiver awareness of, and perceptions relating to, public health messages and identifying trends in contemporary infant care practices are essential to appropriately inform and refine future infant safe sleep advice. This scoping review sought to examine the extent and nature of empirical literature concerning infant caregiver engagement with, and implementation of, safe sleep risk-reduction advice relating to Sudden Unexpected Deaths in Infancy (SUDI). Databases including PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Medline, EMBASE and Ovid were searched for relevant peer reviewed publications with publication dates set between January 2000-May 2021. A total of 137 articles met eligibility criteria. Review results map current infant sleeping and care practices that families adopt, primary infant caregivers' awareness of safe infant sleep advice and the challenges that families encounter implementing safe sleep recommendations when caring for their infant. Findings demonstrate a need for ongoing monitoring of infant sleep practices and family engagement with safe sleep advice so that potential disparities and population groups at greater risk can be identified, with focused support strategies applied.

Mothers' hygiene experiences in confinement centres: A cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Ethnic Malaysian Chinese used to observe the 1-month postpartum confinement period at home and many families would engage a traditional postpartum carer to help care for the mother and newborn. A recent trend has been the development of confinement centres (CCs) which are private non-healthcare establishments run by staff not trained in health care. Concerns about hygiene in CCs arose after infections were reported. We describe the practice of hand hygiene observed in CCs, the availability of resources for hygiene, and the prevalence of health-related problems in CCs. METHODS: This is a cohort study of ethnic Chinese mothers intending to breastfeed their healthy infants. They were recruited post-delivery along with a comparison group who planned to spend their confinement period at home. After their 1-month confinement period, they were contacted for a structured telephone interview about their experience. To avoid any alteration in behaviour, mothers were not told at recruitment that they had to observe hygiene practices. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the effect of place of confinement on rates of infant health problems. RESULTS: Of 187 mothers, 88(47%) went to 27 different CCs while 99(53%) stayed at home. Response rates for the 1-month interviews were 88%(CC) versus 97%(home). Mothers in CC group stayed in one to four-bedded rooms and 92% of them had their baby sleeping separately in a common nursery described to have up to 17 babies at a time; 74% of them spent less than six hours a day with their babies; 43% noticed that CC staff had inadequate hand hygiene practices; 66% reported no hand basins in their rooms; 30% reported no soap at hand basins; 28% reported inexperienced or inadequate staff and 4% reported baby item sharing. Among the mothers staying at home, 35% employed a traditional postpartum carer for her baby; 32% did not room-in with their babies, but only 11% spent less than 6 hours a day with their babies. Of mothers who employed traditional postpartum carers, 32% did not know if their carer washed hands after changing diapers and 18% reported that their carer did not. Health problems that were probably related to infection (HPRI) like fever and cough were similar between the groups: 14%(CC) versus 14%(home) (p = 0.86). Multiple logistic regression did not show that CCs were a factor for HPRI: aOR 1.28 (95% CI 0.36 to 4.49). Three mothers reported events that could indicate transmission of infection in CCs. CONCLUSION: We found unsatisfactory hygiene practices in CCs as reported by mothers who spent their confinement period there. Although we were not able to establish any direct evidence of infection transmission but based on reports given by the mothers in this study, it is likely to be happening. Therefore, future studies, including intervention studies, are urgently needed to establish an appropriate hygiene standard in CCs as well as the best method to implement this standard. Training CC staff with hygiene knowledge so that they can be empowered to contribute to the development of these standards would be important.

Effects of early essential newborn care versus routine birth care on physiological variables and sleep state among newborn infants: a quasi-experimental design.

BACKGROUND: Early essential newborn care (EENC) was introduced to medical practice in China in 2016, but the number of medical institutions that have put EENC into practice remains low due to insufficient clinical evidence and the absence of awareness among health professionals. This study aimed to explore the effect of EENC on physiological variables and sleep state among newborn infants and to provide evidence to support the implementation of EENC. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design was conducted among 182 newborn infants in a tertiary maternity hospital in China from May 2020 to January 2021. A total of 91 newborn infants were included in the intervention group, and 91 were included in the control group to receive EENC or routine birth care, respectively. RESULTS: The newborn infants in the intervention group had a lower incidence of hypothermia than those in the control group at 75 min, 90 min, 105 min, and 120 min after birth (p < 0.05). The time of first breathing after birth in the intervention group was earlier than that in the control group (5 s vs. 7 s, p < 0.05), and the infants had a better sleep state at 30 min, 60 min, 90 min, and 120 min after birth (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: EENC can decrease the incidence of hypothermia, promote the initiation of breathing, and improve the sleep state among newborn infants compared to routine birth care in China. More coaching should be provided to health professionals to promote the implementation of EENC in China. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, Retrospective Registration (27/7/2021), registration number: ChiCTR2100049231 .

The Effect of Skin-to-Skin Contact on Postoperative Depression and Physical Recovery of Parturients after Cesarean Section in Obstetrics and Gynecology Department.

The effect of skin-to-skin contact (SSC) on postpartum depression and physical rehabilitation of cesarean section women was explored. 280 parturients undergoing cesarean section were selected and were rolled into two groups randomly. The parturients in the control group (Con group, 140 cases) received routine care, and those in the experimental group (Exp group, 140 cases) received SSC on the basis of routine care. The postpartum depression and physical recovery of parturients in two groups were compared. It was found that, in the Exp group, the number of pregnant women with no or with very mild depression was much more 85% vs. 55%), the number of women with adequate lactation was more (53 cases vs. 27 cases), the first lactation time (FLT) was dramatically shorter (41.25 ± 4.81 h vs. 58.43 ± 5.43 h), the breastfeeding success rate (BFSR) and breastfeeding rate (BFR) were obvious higher, the days for uterine involution was much shorter (6.96 ± 1.13 days vs. 9.47 ± 1.75 days), the descent of uterine fundus 24 hours after delivery (24 h-DUF) was obviously larger (3.17 ± 0.26 mm vs. 1.56 ± 0.43 mm), the duration of lochia (DOL) was remarkably shorter (33.21 ± 5.32 days vs. 25.32 ± 3.54 days), and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score was lower (4.88 ± 0.32 points vs. 3.41 ± 0.53 points), showing statistical differences for all above indicators (P < 0.05). It suggested that SSC could effectively relieve the postpartum depression of uterine parturients, promote the lactation, increase the BFR, facilitate uterine involution, and alleviate chronic uterine inflammation and postpartum pain, showing high clinical application and promotion value.

Association of a Family Integrated Care Model With Paternal Mental Health Outcomes During Neonatal Hospitalization.

Importance: During newborn hospitalization in the neonatal unit, fathers often feel anxious and excluded from their child's caregiving and decision-making. Few studies and interventions have focused on fathers' mental health and their participation in neonatal care. Objective: To study the association of a family integrated care (FICare) model (in single family rooms with complete couplet-care for the mother-newborn dyad) vs standard neonatal care (SNC) in open bay units with separate maternity care with mental health outcomes in fathers at hospital discharge of their preterm newborn and to study whether parent participation was a mediator of the association of the FICare model on outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants: This prospective, multicenter cohort study was conducted from May 2017 to January 2020 as part of the fAMily Integrated Care in the Neonatal Ward Study, at level-2 neonatal units in the Netherlands (1 using the FICare model and 2 control sites using SNC). Participants included fathers of preterm newborns admitted to participating units. Data analysis was performed from January to April 2021. Exposure: FICare model in single family rooms with complete couplet-care for the mother-newborn dyad during maternity and/or neonatal care. Main Outcomes and Measures: Paternal mental health was measured using the Parental Stress Scale: NICU, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Post-partum Bonding Questionnaire, Perceived (Maternal) Parenting Self-efficacy Scale, and satisfaction with care (EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care-Neonatology). Parent participation (CO-PARTNER tool) was assessed as a potential mediator of the association of the FICare model with outcomes with mediation analyses (prespecified). Results: Of 309 families included in the fAMily Integrated Care in the Neonatal Ward Study, 263 fathers (85%) agreed to participate; 126 fathers were enrolled in FICare and 137 were enrolled in SNC. In FICare, 89 fathers (71%; mean [SD] age, 35.1 [4.8] years) responded to questionnaires and were analyzed. In SNC, 93 fathers (68%; mean [SD] age, 36.4 [5.5] years) responded to questionnaires and were analyzed. Fathers in FICare experienced less stress (adjusted ß, -10.02; 95% CI, -15.91 to -4.13; P = .001) and had higher participation scores (adjusted odds ratio, 3.424; 95% CI, 0.860 to 5.988; P = .009) compared with those in SNC. Participation mediated the beneficial association of the FICare model with fathers' depressive symptoms (indirect effect, -0.051; 95% CI, -0.133 to -0.003) and bonding with their newborns (indirect effect, -0.082; 95% CI, -0.177 to -0.015). Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that the FICare model is associated with decreased paternal stress at discharge and enables fathers to be present and participate more than SNC, thus improving paternal mental health. Supporting fathers to actively participate in all aspects of newborn care should be encouraged regardless of architectural design of the neonatal unit.

Direct swallowing training and oral sensorimotor stimulation in preterm infants: a randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of direct swallowing training (DST) alone and combined with oral sensorimotor stimulation (OSMS) on oral feeding ability in very preterm infants. DESIGN: Blinded, parallel group, randomised controlled trial (1:1:1). SETTING: Neonatal intensive care unit of a South Korean tertiary hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Preterm infants born at <32 weeks of gestation who achieved full tube feeding. INTERVENTIONS: Two sessions per day were provided according to the randomly assigned groups (control: two times per day sham intervention; DST: DST and sham interventions, each once a day; DST+OSMS: DST and OSMS interventions, each once a day). PRIMARY OUTCOME: Time from start to independent oral feeding (IOF). RESULTS: Analyses were conducted in 186 participants based on modified intention-to-treat (63 control; 63 DST; 60 DST+OSMS). The mean time from start to IOF differed significantly between the control, DST and DST+OSMS groups (21.1, 17.2 and 14.8 days, respectively, p=0.02). Compared with non-intervention, DST+OSMS significantly shortened the time from start to IOF (effect size: -0.49; 95% CI: -0.86 to -0.14; p=0.02), whereas DST did not. The proportion of feeding volume taken during the initial 5 min, an index of infants' actual feeding ability when fatigue is minimal, increased earlier in the DST+OSMS than in the DST. CONCLUSIONS: In very preterm infants, DST+OSMS led to the accelerated attainment of IOF compared with non-intervention, whereas DST alone did not. The effect of DST+OSMS on oral feeding ability appeared earlier than that of DST alone. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT02508571).