Application of a Risk Management Framework to Parent Sleep During Skin-to-Skin Care in the NICU

The Effect of Early-Initiated Half-Swaddling and Kangaroo Care Practices on Maternal Sleep Quality and Postpartum Depression in Term Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aimed to investigate the effects of half-swaddling and kangaroo care practices early initiated in mothers of term babies on maternal sleep quality and postpartum depression. This study was prospective, four-arm randomized controlled trial. This study was conducted in 136 mothers and term baby hospitalized in Trakya University Hospital between April 2023 and August 2024. Participants were randomly divided into four groups using computer program with 34 mothers in each group: control (A), half-swaddling (B), kangaroo care (C), half-swaddling, and kangaroo care (D). Starting, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th months, the data of all four groups were collected with the Questionnaire Form, Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Bonferroni and multiple linear regression (MLR) were used for advanced statistics. C and D groups had more positive effects on depression, while B and D groups had more positive effects on maternal sleep quality (p < 0.001). The combination of half-swaddling and kangaroo care practices early initiated in term babies has a significant effect on reducing the risk of postpartum depression, and half-swaddling practice has an important effect on improving maternal sleep quality. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06348316.

Protocol to Support Skin-to-Skin Care and Closeness Between Parents and Neonates in the NICU

Skin-to-skin care (SSC) is essential, can help to prevent separation of parents and the neonate in the NICU, and should be a standard practice. It can safely be integrated into the routine care of preterm neonates, those who require surgery, and those who require all levels of intensive care. Years of experience with the provision of SSC in our NICU influenced our approach to care and resulted in practice guidelines for the safe provision of SSC. In this article, we present our clinical practical guidelines that support SSC and closeness between parents and the neonate to ensure the use of these practices for all neonates in the NICU.

Healthcare processes for parent participation in neonatal intensive care units: A self-determination theory perspective

This research explores parents' experiences in the NICU to inform design and implementation of processes that motivate and direct parent participation in healthcare processes for their children. Qualitative methods were employed combining elements of grounded theory and phenomenology. Findings reveal that despite known benefits, parent participation does not always occur in NICUs due to difficulties NICUs face while balancing technologically complex care that increases survival rates with parent-participation models that provides holistic wellbeing. Self-determination theory provides a work design perspective that can guide design and implementation of parent participation, as partial employees, as a key component of NICU healthcare processes.