Parenthood transition for parents of an infant diagnosed with a congenital heart condition

This purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between caregiving demands, family system demands, and parental coping behavior in 71 families who had an infant 1 year of age or younger diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. Data for this descriptive correlational study were collected in the parents' homes. Mothers spent the most caregiving time attending to their infants' physical needs, and fathers spent the most time attending to infants' emotional and developmental needs. Fathers of younger infants reported higher infant caregiving demands and more helpful coping strategies related to the family, self, and the health care situation. Unexpectedly, no significant relationships were found between family system demands, infant caregiving demands, and mothers' coping strategies. Parents of later-born infants with a congenital heart defect experienced higher levels of family system demands than did first-time parents.