J Korean Acad Nurs.  2017 Apr;47(2):277-288. 10.4040/jkan.2017.47.2.277.

Experience of Becoming a Father of a High Risk Premature Infant

• Park JE
• Lee BS

• KMID: 2426353
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2017.47.2.277

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was performed to identify the experience of becoming a father of a high risk premature infant.
METHODS
Grounded theory was used for this research. The participants were 12 fathers who had premature infants lighter than 2,500g of birth weight, less than 37 weeks of gestational age and having stayed 2 weeks or longer in a NICU right after birth. Theoretical sampling was done to identify participants and indepth interviews were done for the data collection. For data analysis, the process suggested by Corbin and Strauss was used.
RESULTS
For these participants the core phenomenon of the experience of becoming a father of a high risk premature infant was "˜striving through with belief and patience'. The phenomenon was "˜being frustrated in an unrealistic shock'. Contextual conditions were "˜uncertainty in the health status of the premature baby' and "˜no one to ask for help' and intervening conditions were "˜possibility in the health recovery of the premature baby' and "˜assistance from significant others'. Action/interaction strategies were "˜withstanding with belief in the baby' and "˜enduring with willpower as head of the family' and the consequence was "˜becoming a guardian of the family'.
CONCLUSION
For the participants, the process of becoming the father of a high risk premature infant was striving through the situation with belief in their babies' ability to overcome the crisis and waiting for the babies' recovery with patience.

Keyword

Premature infant; Father; life experience; Qualitative research

MeSH Terms

Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
Father-Child Relations
Fathers/*psychology
Gestational Age
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
Interviews as Topic
Male
Parenting
Premature Birth
Self Efficacy
Social Support

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 The process of the ‘Becoming a father of a high risk premature infant’.

Reference

1. Kim YD, Lee DK. The parenting characteristics of inexperienced father and the process of becoming father. J Child Lit Educ. 2011; 12(1):353–380.

2. Valizadeh L, Zamanzadeh V, Rahiminia E. Comparison of anticipatory grief reaction between fathers and mothers of premature infants in neonatal intensive care unit. Scand J Caring Sci. 2013; 27(4):921–926. DOI: 10.1111/scs.12005.

3. Statistics Korea. Birth statistics in 2015 [Internet]. Daejeon: Author;2016. cited 2016 August 24. Available from: http://kostat.go.kr/portal/korea/kor_nw/2/2/1/index.board?bmode=read&aSeq=355736.

4. Statistics Statistics Korea. Birth statistics in 2015 [Internet]. Daejeon: Author;2016. cited 2016 August 24. Available from: http://kostat.go.kr/portal/korea/kor_nw/2/2/1/index.board?bmode=read&aSeq=355736.

5. Sung MH, Ahn RS, Chang MS. Study on the perceived stress of father of high-risk infants in neonatal intensive care unit(NICU). Korean J Child Health Nurs. 2004; 10(3):251–261.

6. Lee TY, Lin HR, Huang TH, Hsu CH, Bartlett R. Assuring the integrity of the family: Being the father of a very low birth weight infant. J Clin Nurs. 2009; 18(4):512–512. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2008.02487.x.

7. Schappin R, Wijnroks L, Uniken Venema MM, Jongmans MJ. Rethinking stress in parents of preterm infants: A meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2013; 8(2):e54992. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054992.

8. Min HS, Son MJ. The change of the mother's stress pattern with time elapse after giving birth to premature babies. J Korean Acad Nurs. 2004; 34(7):1265–1276.

9. Gressens P, Rogido M, Paindaveine B, Sola A. The impact of neonatal intensive care practices on the developing brain. J Pediatr. 2002; 140(6):646–653. DOI: 10.1067/mpd.2002.123214.

10. Gu BN, Kim MY. A study on the maternal role confidence and nursing educational needs of premature infant mothers. J Kyungpook Nurs Sci. 2002; 6(1):39–56.

11. Kim JS, Shin HS. Effects of a discharge education program using on-line community for parents of premature infants. J Korean Acad Child Health Nurs. 2010; 16(4):344–344. DOI: 10.4094/jkachn.2010.16.4.344.

12. Doering LV, Dracup K, Moser D. Comparison of psychosocial adjustment of mothers and fathers of high-risk infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. J Perinatol. 1999; 19(2):132–137.

13. Jackson K, Ternestedt BM, Schollin J. From alienation to familiarity: Experiences of mothers and fathers of preterm infants. J Adv Nurs. 2003; 43(2):120–129. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2003.02686.x.

14. Han SY, Chae SM. Perceived parental stress and nursing support of fathers with high risk infants. Child Health Nurs Res. 2016; 22(3):190–198. DOI: 10.4094/chnr.2016.22.3.190.

15. Lee SN, Long A, Boore J. Taiwanese women's experiences of becoming a mother to a very-low-birth-weight preterm infant: A grounded theory study. Int J Nurs Stud. 2009; 46(3):326–336. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2008.10.004.

16. Gonçalves Vieira, Batoca Silva EM. Parents'experience during the hospitalisation of the preterm infant. Rev Enf Ref. 2015; 4(4):107–115. DOI: 10.12707/RIV14032.

17. Lindberg B, Axelsson K, Ohrling K. Adjusting to being a father to an infant born prematurely: Experiences from Swedish fathers. Scand J Caring Sci. 2008; 22(1):79–85. DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-6712.2007.00563.x.

18. Lundqvist P, Westas LH, Hallström I. From distance toward proximity: Fathers lived experience of caring for their preterm infants. J Pediatr Nurs. 2007; 22(6):490–497. DOI: 10.1016/j.pedn.2007.04.008.

19. Choi EJ. A phenomenological study on mothers' experience of premature infants [master's thesis]. Busan: Pusan National University;1999. 1–160.

20. Chon MY, Ji ES, Lee SH. Mothers' parenting experience of premature infants: Q methodological approach. J Korean Acad Nurs. 2013; 43(6):704–713. DOI: 10.4040/jkan.2013.43.6.704.

21. Lee JY, Park JH, Chun BY. Perinatal mortality rate and associated risk factors in Daegu city. J Korean Soc Matern Child Health. 1998; 2(1):65–82.

22. Corbin J, Strauss A. Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. 4th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage;2015.

23. Sandelowski M. The problem of rigor in qualitative research. ANS Adv Nurs Sci. 1986; 8(3):27–37.

24. Hugill K, Letherby G, Reid T, Lavender T. Experiences of fathers shortly after the birth of their preterm infants. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2013; 42(6):655–663. DOI: 10.1111/1552-6909.12256.

25. Kim JY. The degree of paternal attachment to neonate. J Nurs Acad Soc. 1995; 25(2):330–340.

26. Park HS, Rhee CW. Post-discharge adjustment of families with pre-term infants. J Korean Soc Child Welf. 2007; 24:151–175.

27. Shin HS. Maternal identity in mothers of premature infants admitted in NICU. Korean J Child Health Nurs. 2004; 10(1):117–125.

28. Matricardi S, Agostino R, Fedeli C, Montirosso R. Mothers are not fathers: Differences between parents in the reduction of stress levels after a parental intervention in a NICU. Acta Paediatr. 2013; 102(1):8–14. DOI: 10.1111/apa.12058.

29. Stern M, Hildebr K, Karraker T. The prematurity stereotype: Empirical evidence and implications for practice. Infant Ment Health J. 1990; 11(1):1–11. DOI: 10.1002/1097-0355(199021)11:1<3::AIDIMHJ2280110102>3.0.CO;2-6.