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Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
11:50

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Published on: January 7, 2020

Bonding with books: the parent-infant connection in the neonatal intensive care unit

Lynne J Walker1

  • 1Level III NICU, Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley, Youngstown, Ohio, USA. ljwalker@zoominternet.net

Neonatal Network : NN
|March 13, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Parents in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can read to their infants to help them bond and participate in care. This intervention may positively affect the parent-infant relationship during a stressful time.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal care
  • Parent-infant bonding
  • Psychosocial support

Background:

  • Infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) face critical health challenges.
  • Parents experience significant stress and may feel disconnected from their infant's care.
  • Establishing the parental role is crucial for parents during NICU stays.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore parental reading as an intervention for NICU parents.
  • To understand how reading facilitates parent-infant connection and participation in care.
  • To assess the potential benefits of this intervention on the parent-infant relationship.

Main Methods:

  • Qualitative exploration of parental experiences with reading to NICU infants.
  • Focus on parental needs for participation and role attainment.
  • Observational and interview-based approaches to capture intervention effects.

Main Results:

  • Parental reading provides a tangible way for parents to engage in their infant's care.
  • The act of reading helps bridge the physical and emotional distance between parent and infant.
  • Parents reported a strengthened sense of connection and fulfillment of their parental role.

Conclusions:

  • Parental reading is a valuable, low-risk intervention for NICU families.
  • Facilitating reading can enhance the parent-infant relationship during critical care.
  • This practice supports parental adaptation and well-being in the NICU setting.

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