Heli Mäkelä1, Anna Axelin2, Nancy Feeley3, Hannakaisa Niela-Vilén4. 1. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland; Satakunta Hospital District, 28500 Pori, Finland. Electronic address: heli.makela@satshp.fi. 2. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland. Electronic address: anmaax@utu.fi. 3. Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University & Jewish General Hospital Centre for Nursing Research & Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada. Electronic address: nancy.feeley@mcgill.ca. 4. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland. Electronic address: hmniel@utu.fi.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To identify and understand how parents develop a close bond to their infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive study; closeness and separation stories recorded in a smartphone application by the parents were analyzed using thematic analysis. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-three parents of nineteen infants who were taken care of in a level III NICU in Finland. FINDINGS: Bonding moments and a disrupted dyadic parent-infant relationship continuously alternated as in a rollercoaster ride during the hospital stay. Transitions from closeness to separation and vice versa were the most emotional stages on the journey. Parents had a natural desire to be close and create a bond with their infants; however, they accepted the separation as part of NICU care. KEY CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that closeness with their infant was the power that parents stored and that led them through unavoidable separation to normal parenthood. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Bonding and attachment will occur naturally if parents are close to their infants and permitted privacy and time with their infants. NICU staff should create a peaceful and calming environment that enables and supports this bonding process.
OBJECTIVE: To identify and understand how parents develop a close bond to their infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive study; closeness and separation stories recorded in a smartphone application by the parents were analyzed using thematic analysis. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-three parents of nineteen infants who were taken care of in a level III NICU in Finland. FINDINGS: Bonding moments and a disrupted dyadic parent-infant relationship continuously alternated as in a rollercoaster ride during the hospital stay. Transitions from closeness to separation and vice versa were the most emotional stages on the journey. Parents had a natural desire to be close and create a bond with their infants; however, they accepted the separation as part of NICU care. KEY CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that closeness with their infant was the power that parents stored and that led them through unavoidable separation to normal parenthood. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Bonding and attachment will occur naturally if parents are close to their infants and permitted privacy and time with their infants. NICU staff should create a peaceful and calming environment that enables and supports this bonding process.
Authors: Loredana Cena; Paolo Biban; Jessica Janos; Manuela Lavelli; Joshua Langfus; Angelina Tsai; Eric A Youngstrom; Alberto Stefana Journal: Front Psychol Date: 2021-02-24