Current Pediatric Research

This is a quasi-experimental study conducted to evaluate fathers’ attachment levels to their infants and their participation in baby care. The study was conducted between February 1st, 2019 and March 31, 2019 with 106 fathers in the postpartum clinics of an A-II type state hospital in Kahramanmara?, Turkey. The inclusion, exclusion and matching criteria were taken into consideration in selecting the study sample. Data were obtained from the experimental group using the father information form, paternal-infant attachment scale, father’s participation in baby care evaluation form, father’s kangaroo care application schedule, fathers’ participation in newborn care schedule, and kangaroo care application training brochure. Data were obtained from the control group using the father information form, paternal-infant attachment scale, father’s participation in baby care evaluation form, and fathers’ participation in newborn care schedule. For statistical analysis, the NCSS (Number Cruncher Statistical System) 2007 (Kaysville, Utah, USA) was used. The suitability of the quantitative data for normal distribution was tested with the Shapiro-Wilk test and graphical analysis. Student-t test was used for comparison between normal and quantitative variables and Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparisons between non-normal distribution and quantitative variables. Wilcoxon signed-ranks test was used for intra-group comparisons of quantitative variables that were not normally distributed. Chi-Square test and Fisher exact test were also used in the comparisons. Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between quantitative variables. In the comparisons, the confidence interval was 95% and statistical significance was taken as p<0.05. The study found that kangaroo care increased the attachment level of fathers and their participation in baby care. As the participation level of fathers in baby care increases the level of father-baby attachment increases too. Although not all the fathers in the experimental group did provide kangaroo care for fourteen days, the number of fathers who participated in kangaroo care was high and the fathers performed kangaroo care for 57 ± 9.6 min. In the study, fathers who had first paternity experience and who did not participate in infant care had the highest “watching the baby sleep”, “talking to baby”, “being able to comfort the baby when it cries” and “supporting mother’s breastfeeding” practices in the care of the newborn. Fathers did not perform “ear care”. Nurses can practice kangaroo care with fathers. Care protocols, guidelines and institutional policies related to fathers’ kangaroo care and baby care practices can be developed. Nurses are advised to inform fathers about the care of the newborn. The use of ASM is recommended for fathers’ participation in baby care evaluation form to monitor the newborn.

Author(s): Gulay Manav, Busra Marash, Pelin Uymaz*

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