The Journal of Neonatal Nursing has recently published a description of a fathers’ group in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit of the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. It is a weekly group held at the NICU run by neonatologists and involving an infant mental health psychologist.

Fathers in NICU face particular challenges, for example:

• Reticence to ask for help and so display weakness.
• Detachment from the infant.
• Return to work and other family duties, for example, care of other children
• Worry about partner and infant.
• Relationship with the mother.

A growing number of studies has been showing that support for fathers in NICU leads to greater engagement between father and baby. Encouraging father-baby skin-to-skin contact has a particularly strong impact.

The Melbourne group runs weekly at 6pm (after working hours) for two hours and is promoted by flyers and word-of-mouth invitations from neonatal staff. Most fathers only attend once because their babies are only on the ward for a few days.

Group discussions are very animated, typically featuring strong expressions of sadness, anxiety and anger. Fathers attending the groups say they particularly appreciate the connection with others in a similar position. In addition to the meetings, a closed Facebook page has been set up, moderated by a member of the neonatal staff. The fathers universally express particular appreciation of skin-to-skin contact with their babies.

The authors make three practical recommendations for practice:

• Ascertain staff interested in leading a group and available to commit to doing so.
• Designate a room in the NICU if possible to that fathers feel that their infant is nearby.
• Consider which method to inform fathers about the group, e.g., flyers posted centrally or beside each cot, or staff encouraging fathers to attend.

Thomson-Salo F, Kuschel A, Kamlin OF & Cuzzilla R (2017), A fathers’ group in NICU: recognising and responding to paternal stress, utilising peer support, Journal of Neonatal Nursing 23.6

Photo: Joe Goldberg. Creative Commons.