ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2016
Pathways to emotional closeness in neonatal units - a cross-national qualitative study.
Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Systematic review shows the benefits of involving the fathers of preterm infants in early interventions in neonatal intensive care units.Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992) · 2021Pooled it
- Exploration of factors affecting parent-infant closeness and separation in hospitals in Nepal - a qualitative study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Discharge criteria, practices, and decision-making in the transition of preterm infants to home.Pediatric research · 2026Article
- Effect of Shifting From Open Bay to Single-Family Rooms on Closeness in a NICU.Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992) · 2025Observational
- Breastfeeding experience, barriers, and facilitators among mothers of vulnerable low birth weight infants in Amhara region, Ethiopia: a qualitative exploratory study.International breastfeeding journal · 2025Article
- Article
- Receiving screened donor human milk as part of a community-based lactation support programme reduces parental symptoms of anxiety and depression.Maternal & child nutrition · 2024Article
- Disparities in being able to donate human milk impacts upon maternal wellbeing: Lessons for scaling up milk bank service provision.Maternal & child nutrition · 2024Article
- Does a mother's childbirth experience influence her perceptions of her baby's behaviour? A qualitative interview study.PloS one · 2023Article
- Parents and newborn "togetherness" after birth.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2022Observational
- Breastfeeding-oriented education for parturients separated from their hospitalized infants: a qualitative study of nurses' perspectives in Shanghai, China.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2022Article
- Birth-related PTSD symptoms and related factors following preterm childbirth in Turkey.Current psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.) · 2022Article
- Parental perceptions on the impact of visiting restrictions during COVID-19 in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit.Journal of paediatrics and child health · 2022Article
- An international study on implementation and facilitators and barriers for parent-infant closeness in neonatal units.Pediatric investigation · 2022Article
- Ten Years of Neonatal Intensive Care Adaption to the Infants' Needs: Implementation of a Family-Centered Care Model with Single-Family Rooms in Norway.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Effects of Live Music Therapy on Autonomic Stability in Preterm Infants: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- Associations Between Single-Family Room Care and Breastfeeding Rates in Preterm Infants.Journal of human lactation : official journal of International Lactation Consultant Association · 2021Observational
- Factors Influencing Paternal Attachment Among Preterm Infants in an Urban Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.Cureus · 2020Article
- The experiences of mothers with preterm infants within the first-year post discharge from NICU: social support, attachment and level of depressive symptoms.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2020Article
- Facilities for presence and provision of support to parents and significant others in neonatal units.Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992) · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundResearch shows evidence for the importance of physical and emotional closeness for the infant, the parent and the infant-parent dyad. Less is known about how, when and why parents experience emotional closeness to their infants in a neonatal unit (NU), which was the aim of this study.
methodsA qualitative study using a salutogenic approach to focus on positive health and wellbeing was undertaken in three NUs: one in Sweden, England and Finland. An 'emotional closeness' form was devised, which asked parents to describe moments/situations when, how and why they had felt emotionally close to their infant. Data for 23 parents of preterm infants were analyzed using thematic networks analysis.
resultsA global theme of 'pathways for emotional closeness' emerged from the data set. This concept related to how emotional, physical, cognitive and social influences led to feelings of emotional closeness between parents and their infants. The five underpinning organising themes relate to the: Embodied recognition through the power of physical closeness; Reassurance of, and contributing to, infant wellness; Understanding the present and the past; Feeling engaged in the day to day and Spending time and bonding as a family.
conclusionThese findings generate important insights into why, how and when parents feel emotionally close. This knowledge contributes to an increased awareness of how to support parents of premature infants to form positive and loving relationships with their infants. Health care staff should create a climate where parents' emotions and their emotional journey are individually supported.
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