Download PDF
Am J Perinatol 2021; 38(13): 1420-1427
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1713179
Original Article

Juggling Multiple Roles amidst Uncertainty: The Asian Father's Perspective of an Infant in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Berenice Xueli Lian
1   Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
,
Zubair Amin
2   Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
,
Ramkumar Aishworiya
1   Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
› Author Affiliations Funding None.
› Further Information
Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Objective Parents of preterm, very low birthweight (VLBW) infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) undergo emotional turmoil. Studies on parent's experiences typically focus on the maternal perspective. The purpose of the study is to explore the emotional needs and experiences of fathers of VLBW neonates in the NICU and to identify ways to improve their experiences.

Study Design This was a qualitative descriptive design study undertaken at the NICU of a tertiary university hospital. Convenience sampling with predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria was used to identify prospective participants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 fathers of infants until data saturation was reached. The COREQ (Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies) checklist was used.

Results Father's experiences were classified into the topics of concerns, roles, and perspectives. Uncertainty was a predominant theme in each of these. Fathers assume multiple roles toward the child, wife, self, and family. Their concerns were multifaceted involving the child, family, work, and finances; they experienced a myriad of emotions, but these evolved into resilience eventually.

Conclusion Fathers have unique concerns pertinent to having an infant in the NICU. They juggle multiple roles and transition to emotions of resilience. It is imperative to acknowledge the uncertainty and diverse roles of fathers, provide them with customized information, and develop more balanced parent-support groups.

Key Points

  • Fathers juggle multiple roles with a child in NICU.

  • Uncertainty is a key part of their experience.

  • Acknowledging their role and emotions is important.

Keywords

preterm infants - fathers - neonatal intensive care - emotions - concerns - perspective

Note

The data was presented as a poster at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Baltimore in 2019.




Publication History

Received: 30 January 2020

Accepted: 07 May 2020

Article published online:
11 June 2020

© 2020. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
333 Seventh Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USA

 

  • References

  • 1 Blencowe H, Cousens S, Oestergaard MZ. et al. National, regional, and worldwide estimates of preterm birth rates in the year 2010 with time trends since 1990 for selected countries: a systematic analysis and implications. Lancet 2012; 379 (9832): 2162-2172
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Kong X, Xu F, Wu R. et al. Neonatal mortality and morbidity among infants between 24 to 31 complete weeks: a multicenter survey in China from 2013 to 2014. BMC Pediatr 2016; 16 (01) 174-174
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Abuidhail J, Al-Motlaq M, Mrayan L, Salameh T. The lived experience of jordanian parents in a neonatal intensive care unit: a phenomenological study. J Nurs Res 2017; 25 (02) 156-162
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Yang YY, He H-G, Lee SY, Holroyd E, Shorey S, Koh SSL. Perceptions of parents with preterm infants hospitalized in Singaporean neonatal intensive care unit. J Perinat Neonatal Nurs 2017; 31 (03) 263-273
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Craig JW, Glick C, Phillips R, Hall SL, Smith J, Browne J. Recommendations for involving the family in developmental care of the NICU baby. J Perinatol 2015; 35 (Suppl. 01) S5-S8
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Provenzi L, Barello S, Fumagalli M. et al. A comparison of maternal and paternal experiences of becoming parents of a very preterm infant. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2016; 45 (04) 528-541
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Russell G, Sawyer A, Rabe H. et al; “Very Preterm Birth Qualitative Collaborative Group”. Parents' views on care of their very premature babies in neonatal intensive care units: a qualitative study. BMC Pediatr 2014; 14: 230-230
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Howe T-H, Sheu C-F, Wang T-N, Hsu Y-W. Parenting stress in families with very low birth weight preterm infants in early infancy. Res Dev Disabil 2014; 35 (07) 1748-1756
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Enke C, Oliva Y Hausmann A, Miedaner F, Roth B, Woopen C. Communicating with parents in neonatal intensive care units: The impact on parental stress. Patient Educ Couns 2017; 100 (04) 710-719
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Smith VC, Steelfisher GK, Salhi C, Shen LY. Coping with the neonatal intensive care unit experience: parents' strategies and views of staff support. J Perinat Neonatal Nurs 2012; 26 (04) 343-352
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Bagner DM. Father's role in parent training for children with developmental delay. J Fam Psychol 2013; 27 (04) 650-657
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Torres de Lacerda AC, Lucena de Vasconcelos MG, Nascimento de Alencar E, Osório MM, Pontes CM. Adolescent fathers: knowledge of and involvement in the breast feeding process in Brazil. Midwifery 2014; 30 (03) 338-344
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Tao W, Janzen BL, Abonyi S. Gender, division of unpaid family work and psychological distress in dual-earner families. Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health 2010; 6: 36-46
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Noergaard B, Ammentorp J, Fenger-Gron J, Kofoed PE, Johannessen H, Thibeau S. Fathers' needs and masculinity dilemmas in a neonatal intensive care unit in Denmark. Adv Neonatal Care 2017; 17 (04) E13-E22
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Noergaard B, Johannessen H, Fenger-Gron J, Kofoed PE, Ammentorp J. Participatory action research in the field of neonatal intensive care: developing an intervention to meet the fathers' needs. a case study. J Public Health Res 2016; 5 (03) 744-744
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Arockiasamy V, Holsti L, Albersheim S. Fathers' experiences in the neonatal intensive care unit: a search for control. Pediatrics 2008; 121 (02) e215-e222
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Boulais J, Vente T, Daley M, Ramesh S, McGuirl J, Arzuaga B. Concern for mortality in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU): parent and physician perspectives. J Perinatol 2018; 38 (06) 718-727
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Martel M-J, Milette I, Bell L, Tribble DS, Payot A. Establishment of the relationship between fathers and premature infants in neonatal units. Adv Neonatal Care 2016; 16 (05) 390-398
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Garten L, Nazary L, Metze B, Bührer C. Pilot study of experiences and needs of 111 fathers of very low birth weight infants in a neonatal intensive care unit. J Perinatol 2013; 33 (01) 65-69
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Sandelowski M. Whatever happened to qualitative description?. Res Nurs Health 2000; 23 (04) 334-340
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Diekroger EA. The power of qualitative research. Pediatrics 2014; 134 (04) e933-e934
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 Tong A, Sainsbury P, Craig J. Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): a 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups. Int J Qual Health Care 2007; 19 (06) 349-357
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Kuper A, Reeves S, Levinson W. An introduction to reading and appraising qualitative research. BMJ 2008; 337: a288-a288
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Logan RM, Dormire S. Finding my way: a phenomenology of fathering in the NICU. Adv Neonatal Care 2018; 18 (02) 154-162
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 Lundqvist P, Westas LH, Hallström I. From distance toward proximity: fathers lived experience of caring for their preterm infants. J Pediatr Nurs 2007; 22 (06) 490-497
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Garten L, Maass E, Schmalisch G, Bührer C. O father, where art thou? Parental NICU visiting patterns during the first 28 days of life of very low-birth-weight infants. J Perinat Neonatal Nurs 2011; 25 (04) 342-348
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Hagen IH, Iversen VC, Svindseth MF. Differences and similarities between mothers and fathers of premature children: a qualitative study of parents' coping experiences in a neonatal intensive care unit. BMC Pediatr 2016; 16: 92-92
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 Valizadeh S, Mirlashari J, Navab E, Higman W, Ghorbani F. Fathers: the lost ring in the chain of family-centered care: a phenomenological study in neonatal intensive care units of Iran. Adv Neonatal Care 2018; 18 (01) E3-E11
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 29 Fok D, Aris IM, Ho J. et al; GUSTO Study Group. A comparison of practices during the confinement period among Chinese, Malay, and Indian mothers in Singapore. Birth 2016; 43 (03) 247-254
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar