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. 2020 Dec 13;17(24):9326.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17249326.

Parents' Experiences of the First Year at Home with an Infant Born Extremely Preterm with and without Post-Discharge Intervention: Ambivalence, Loneliness, and Relationship Impact

Erika Baraldi  1 , Mara Westling Allodi  1 , Ann-Charlotte Smedler  2 , Björn Westrup  3 , Kristina Löwing  3   4 , Ulrika Ådén  3   5
Affiliations

Parents' Experiences of the First Year at Home with an Infant Born Extremely Preterm with and without Post-Discharge Intervention: Ambivalence, Loneliness, and Relationship Impact

Erika Baraldi et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

With increasing survival rates of children born extremely preterm (EPT), before gestational week 28, the post-discharge life of these families has gained significant research interest. Quantitative studies of parental experiences post-discharge have previously reported elevated levels depressive symptoms, posttraumatic stress-disorder and anxiety among the parents. The current investigation aims to qualitatively explore the situation for parents of children born EPT in Sweden during the first year at home. Semi-structured interviews were performed with 17 parents of 14 children born EPT; eight parents were from an early intervention group and nine parents from a group that received treatment as usual, with extended follow-up procedures. Three main themes were identified using a thematic analytic approach: child-related concerns, the inner state of the parent, and changed family dynamics. Parents in the intervention group also expressed themes related to the intervention, as a sense of security and knowledgeable interventionists. The results are discussed in relation to different concepts of health, parent-child interaction and attachment, and models of the recovery processes. In conclusion, parents describe the first year at home as a time of prolonged parental worries for the child as well as concerns regarding the parent's own emotional state.

Keywords: early intervention; follow-up; home visit program; infancy; parent-child interaction; parenthood; preterm infant; qualitative research; strengths-based approach.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of Stockholm Preterm Interaction-Based Intervention (SPIBI).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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