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Early and late discharge after hospital birth: father's involvement in infant care

U Waldenström1

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.

Early Human Development
|May 1, 1988
PubMed

Insights

Early hospital discharge for newborns increased father-infant contact in the first few days. However, this did not significantly impact father involvement in infant care or parental leave use later on.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Family Studies
  • Maternal-Child Health

Background:

  • Traditional postpartum hospital stays are typically 5-6 days.
  • Early discharge initiatives aim to involve parents sooner in infant care.
  • Understanding the long-term impact of early discharge on father involvement is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of early mother and infant discharge on father's involvement in baby care.
  • To compare father involvement between an early discharge group, a traditional care group, and a non-participating group.

Main Methods:

  • Three groups of fathers were studied: experimental (early discharge), control (traditional care), and non-participating.
  • Fathers in the experimental group had more contact with their infants during the first 2-4 days post-birth.
  • Father involvement was assessed at 2 and 6 weeks postpartum, along with parental leave utilization.

Main Results:

  • Fathers in the early discharge group (EG) spent significantly more time with their infants (nappy changing, bathing, holding) during days 2-4 compared to the control group (CG).
  • No significant differences in father involvement in infant care were observed between the EG and CG at the 2nd and 6th week follow-ups.
  • Utilization of parental leave during the first year did not differ between the groups.

Conclusions:

  • While early discharge increases immediate father-infant contact, it does not appear to foster sustained involvement in infant care or influence parental leave decisions.
  • The findings suggest that interventions focusing solely on early discharge may not be sufficient to promote long-term father engagement.
  • Further research is needed to identify effective strategies for enhancing father involvement beyond the immediate postpartum period.

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