Parent-infant Closeness Increased by Close Collaboration With Parents Intervention - Before and After Study in Nine NICUs 

Abstract Background Parent-infant closeness during neonatal hospital care brings many benefits for both infants and parents. We developed an educational intervention for neonatal staff, the Close Collaboration with Parents, to improve family-centered care during hospital care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention on parent-infant closeness in nine hospitals in Finland.MethodsParents of hospitalized infants were recruited in the hospitals during 3-month periods before and after the Close Collaboration with Parents intervention. The data were collected using daily Closeness diaries. Mothers and fathers separately filled in the time they spent in the hospital and the time of skin-to-skin contact (SSC) with their infant during each hospital care day until discharge. Statistical analyses were done using a linear model with covariates.ResultsDiaries were kept before and after the intervention by a total of 170 and 129 mothers and 126 and 84 fathers, respectively. From the infant perspective, either of his/her parent was present on average 453 minutes per day before the intervention and 620 minutes after the intervention in the neonatal unit. In the adjusted model, the increase was 99 minutes per day (p=0.0007). The infants were in SSC on average 76 minutes per day before the intervention and 114 minutes after the intervention. In the adjusted model, SSC increased 24 minutes per day (p=0.0405).ConclusionThe Close Collaboration with Parents intervention increased parents’ presence and SSC in nine hospitals. This study suggests that parent-infant closeness may be one mediating factors explaining benefits of parenting interventions.