Authors (including presenting author) :
Lau NT(1), Wong HMR(1), Lau YW (1), Yip MY(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital
Introduction :
The benefits of mother skin-to-skin contact (SSC) with newborns are well known. The benefits of SSC are not only for both premature and full-term babies, but also the parents. Fathers who have SSC with their newborn express more confidence in the ability to care for the new baby, fostering the bonding and intimacy between the father and the newborn.
Compared to fathers, mothers have always had priority access to SSC with their newborns, and with postnatal ward visitations restricted under COVID-19 conditions, chances for father-newborn connection have been very minimal. With the resumed allowance of husband accompaniment in the labour ward in 1Q2021, the PYNEH O&G department launched an innovative practice to support fathers performing SSC with newborns to grasp a short but precious moment for fathers to bond with their babies.
Objectives :
> To assist the early buildup of bonding between fathers and newborn and early adaptation of parental role
> To observe the control of newborn core temperature by father SSC
> To decrease stress and anxiety for new fathers due to hospital visit restrictions
> To promote positive parental relationship and family dynamics for babies.
Methodology :
A pilot trial was performed in July 2021. Ten cases were recruited according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria before the official implementation of the practice. With the positive feedback after the pilot trial, the programme was officially launched in September 2021.
Fathers were invited to perform SSC with their newborn for at least 30 minutes after SSC was performed by the mother. While fathers were having SSC with their babies, midwives would teach them to hold the baby in upright position and enjoy the unique moment. Techniques of handling a crying baby were taught to the fathers.
Couples were invited to complete a 4-point Likert scale questionnaire after fathers’ SSC sessions. To investigate the core temperature of the newborn, baby’s axillary temperature was measured at birth, immediately after SSC with the mother and after SSC with the father.
Result & Outcome :
Couples enjoyed the excellent and precious moments through father SSC in the labour ward. 97% of mothers hope to experience father SSC with a newborn again in their next pregnancy, while 98% of fathers reported they want to have SSC with a newborn in their spouses’ next pregnancy. Fathers could use touch, smell, voice and breathing to help the baby recognize them and this promoted bonding. The senses of the baby could also be stimulated as SSC could sooth and calm them when they were agitated.
The new practice positively impacted the bonding and connection among parents and newborns. The accompanied labour felt complete. Moreover, babys’ core temperatures were maintained in a normal range after SSC with the father. Thus, the results suggest that father SSC should become a usual practice for vaginal delivery newborns in the labour ward.
Further studies on baby’s breastfeeding behaviour after father SSC, family relationship and parent-child bonding will be done in the future.
