Parenthood after neonatal care -parenting sense of competence and coparenting three years after discharge

Many parents of infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) experience trauma and a loss of their parental role, which may affect their parenting following discharge. This study aimed to compare parenting competence and coparenting between parents of NICU and non-NICU infants three years postpartum. We also examined factors influencing parenting among NICU parents. We used a comparative cohort design to collect data from 561 parents who completed a set of questionnaires, including measures of parenting sense of competence, coparenting, dyadic relationship quality, social support, and depressive symptoms. Three years postpartum, no differences were found in parenting sense of competence or coparenting between NICU parents and non-NICU parents. For both NICU mothers and fathers, a higher parenting sense of competence in satisfaction and efficacy was associated with a higher quality in the couple relationship. Mothers reported higher parenting satisfaction if they had not experienced a traumatic birth. Fathers reported higher parenting satisfaction if they had no depressive symptoms, and higher parenting efficacy if they had a longer couple relationship, received greater social support, had a shorter infant hospital stay, or were rooming-in with their partner and infant during hospitalization. Factors associated with more coparenting problems among NICU parents included lower couple relationship quality, a 7-14-day hospitalization for mothers, and lower social support for fathers. This study highlights that early possibilities for parents to initiate parenthood together and receive adequate mental and social support during and after NICU hospitalization should be a priority for enhancing parents' sense of competence and coparenting.