Delphi study on first-time parents' perceptions of professional support in the early postpartum period

Professional support during the early postpartum period is crucial for first-time parents, yet little is known about which specific professional support behaviours parents consider most important.

To determine, by consensus, which professional support behaviours are important for first-time parents during the early postpartum period and whether there are differences between mothers and fathers.

An observational modified two-round Delphi was conducted with 90 first-time parents in the postpartum ward of two Swiss hospitals from July to December 2022. In both rounds, participants rated the importance of each item on a Likert response scale. Consensus was defined as items rated > 4 and a coefficient of variation of ≤25 %. Descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to analyse the data, and thematic analysis for the new items proposed in Round 1.

Response rate was 86.6 % in Round 1 (n = 78), and 70 % in Round 2 (n = 63). Consensus was reached on 64 items (87.7 %) in Round 1 and 65 (78.3 %) in Round 2. Participants prioritised professional support behaviours promoting partnerships with care providers and transition into the new parenting role. Differences between mothers (n = 38) and fathers (n = 27) emerged for two items: "Suggesting different alternatives regarding infant care, breastfeeding position," and "having a gentle, caring attitude", with mothers rating them higher.

First-time parents identified key professional support behaviours for postpartum care emphasising the importance of personalised, non-judgmental support. Minor differences between mothers and fathers suggest both perspectives should be considered when providing support.