Inger Emilie Værland1, Kari Vevatne2, Berit Støre Brinchmann3. 1. Pediatric Department, Stavanger University Hospital, Norway. Electronic address: inger.emilie.verland@sus.no. 2. Department of Health, University of Stavanger, Pb 8600 Forus, 4036 Stavanger, Norway. Electronic address: kari.vevatne@uis.no. 3. Faculty of Nursing and Health Science, Nord University, Pb 1490, 8049 Bodø, Norway. Electronic address: berit.s.brinchmann@nord.no.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe fathers' experiences of starting family life with an infant delivered prematurely out of necessity of saving the mother's and infant's lives due to the mother's severe preeclampsia. METHODS: A descriptive, qualitative design was used. Six fathers were interviewed twice: from 6 to 24 days and from 4 to 22 weeks after delivery. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a reflective lifeworld research approach. RESULTS: The essence of the fathers' experiences of establishing a family with a seriously ill mother and a premature infant can be described as a process of becoming a family through reflection on life and death in a context of separation. The essence specifically comprised the following constituents: (1) starting fatherhood facing existential issues, (2) connecting the family, (3) becoming familiar with your infant, and (4) becoming a father in a public area. CONCLUSIONS: The fathers were able to develop their relationship to their infants; this emphasizes the importance of the fathers being able to spend their time in the NICU. The privacy of the fathers were more or less challenged, health professionals should be aware of individualize their approach to the fathers. The study reveals that family life started with separation. Health professionals should try to ensure that the family should be together. Mutual guidelines between the wards that treats mother and child should be implemented. When new mother and child-centers are planned a family friendly environment should be prioritized.
OBJECTIVE: To describe fathers' experiences of starting family life with an infant delivered prematurely out of necessity of saving the mother's and infant's lives due to the mother's severe preeclampsia. METHODS: A descriptive, qualitative design was used. Six fathers were interviewed twice: from 6 to 24 days and from 4 to 22 weeks after delivery. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a reflective lifeworld research approach. RESULTS: The essence of the fathers' experiences of establishing a family with a seriously ill mother and a premature infant can be described as a process of becoming a family through reflection on life and death in a context of separation. The essence specifically comprised the following constituents: (1) starting fatherhood facing existential issues, (2) connecting the family, (3) becoming familiar with your infant, and (4) becoming a father in a public area. CONCLUSIONS: The fathers were able to develop their relationship to their infants; this emphasizes the importance of the fathers being able to spend their time in the NICU. The privacy of the fathers were more or less challenged, health professionals should be aware of individualize their approach to the fathers. The study reveals that family life started with separation. Health professionals should try to ensure that the family should be together. Mutual guidelines between the wards that treats mother and child should be implemented. When new mother and child-centers are planned a family friendly environment should be prioritized.