Some parents will be more involved in the care of their premature babies and sooner as part of a research project in the western province of Alberta. The goal is to help families leave the hospital sooner with healthier babies.
Parents feel left out
“Parents have told us, when their baby is born too soon and that baby has to be admitted to a neo-natal intensive care unit, that they feel like outsiders, visitors, passive by-standers, when they just really want to be a mum or a dad to that baby,” says Karen Benzies, professor in the faculty of nursing and pediatrics at the University of Calgary.
ListenOne in 12 babies is born before the due date in Alberta. Parents often have to go home leaving their preterm babies in hospital.
‘Early relationships are critical’
“We know from the brain science that early relationships are critical to life-long learning and health. So, the sooner we begin to develop those relationships between parents and their children…the better the outcomes will be for the babies.”
Parents in the project will be trained to improve their knowledge, skills and confidence in taking care of a preterm infant, and they will take part in the hands-on care of their babies doing things like changing diapers and holding them.
New parental roles will be compared to traditional roles
Some 600 mothers will be enrolled at five health centres. The fathers and grandparents will be involved, and the outcomes will be compared to those of a similar group not taking part in the special project.
If the results are positive, Alberta will develop new protocols to guide hospitals on how to involve parents sooner in the care of their premature babies.
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