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© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Families (n = 12) with infants born at <29 weeks gestation shared their experiences while in the NICU and transitioning home. Parents were interviewed 6–8 weeks after NICU discharge, including some during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings regarding the parent experience in the NICU were focused around challenges navigating parent-infant separation, social isolation, communication difficulties, limited knowledge of preterm infants, mental health challenges. Parents also discussed supports that were present and supports they wished were present, as well as the impact of COVID-19 on their experiences. In the transition to home, primary experiences included the sudden nature of the transition, anxiety around discharge preparation, and the loss of the support from nursing staff. During the first few weeks at home, parents expressed joy and anxiety, particularly around feeding. The COVID-19 pandemic limited emotional, informational, and physical support to parents and resulted in limited mutual support from other parents of infants in the NICU. Parents of preterm infants in the NICU present with multiple stressors, rendering attending to parental mental health crucial. NICU staff need to address logistical barriers and familial priorities impacting communication and parent-infant bonding. Providing multiple opportunities for communication, participating in caretaking activities, and meeting other families can be important sources of support and knowledge for parents of very preterm infants.

Details

Title
Parent Experiences in the NICU and Transition to Home
Author
Spence, Christine M 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Stuyvenberg, Corri L 2 ; Kane, Audrey E 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Burnsed, Jennifer 4 ; Dusing, Stacey C 5   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Department of Counseling and Special Education, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA 
 Rehabilitation Science Graduate Program, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; [email protected] 
 Department of Occupational Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA; [email protected] 
 Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA; [email protected] 
 Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; [email protected] 
First page
6050
Publication year
2023
Publication date
2023
Publisher
MDPI AG
ISSN
1661-7827
e-ISSN
1660-4601
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2823992826
Copyright
© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.