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Selected physiologic measures and behavior during paternal skin contact with Colombian preterm infants
S M Ludington-Hoe1, M S Hashemi, L A Argote
1University of California, Center for the Health Sciences, Maternal Child Health Nursing, Los Angeles 90024.
Insights
Paternal skin-to-skin contact can provide warmth and comfort for preterm infants. Fathers can help regulate infant temperature, though infants may become hyperthermic during this bonding time.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Developmental psychology
- Human physiology
Background:
- Preterm infants require specialized care for thermoregulation and comfort.
- Maternal availability is crucial, but alternative caregiving roles are important.
- Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) is recognized for its benefits in neonatal care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the cardiorespiratory, thermal, and behavioral responses of healthy preterm infants during paternal SSC.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of fathers in providing warmth and comfort to neonates.
- To assess infant and paternal behaviors during SSC in a tropical climate.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive study involving eleven healthy preterm infants and their fathers in Colombia.
- Continuous minute-by-minute monitoring of infant cardiorespiratory measures (heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation) and thermal measures (abdominal, toe, tympanic temperatures).
- Recording of infant state behavior, paternal skin temperature, and paternal behaviors (gazing, touching, speaking).
Main Results:
- Infant heart and respiratory rates, along with abdominal and core temperatures, increased during paternal SSC.
- Fathers successfully maintained infant warmth, with five infants experiencing hyperthermia despite cooling efforts.
- Infants predominantly slept, while fathers exhibited limited interaction (gazing, speaking, touching).
Conclusions:
- Paternal skin-to-skin contact serves as a viable alternative for providing warmth and comfort when mothers are unavailable.
- Careful monitoring is needed to prevent hyperthermia in infants during paternal SSC, especially in warm climates.
- Fathers can play a significant role in neonatal care, though interaction patterns may differ.
Abstract:
A descriptive study of eleven healthy preterm infants was conducted in which cardiorespiratory (heart and respiratory rates, oxygen saturation), thermal (abdominal, toe and tympanic temperatures) and state behavior responses to two hours of paternal skin-to-skin contact within the first 17 hours of birth in Colombia, South America were evaluated. Infant physiologic and behavioral state measures were recorded each minute as was paternal skin temperature and behavior. Infant heart and respiratory rates increased during paternal contact as did abdominal and core temperatures. Fathers were able to keep their infants sufficiently warm, and five infants became hyperthermic (tympanic temperature greater than 37.5 degrees C) despite cooling measures while being held in this climate. Infants slept most of the time while being held and fathers seldom gazed at, spoke to, or touched their infants while holding them. When mothers are unavailable, fathers may be an alternate source of warmth and comfort to infants.