title: [Parental perception of their involvement in the care of their children in French neonatal units].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The experience of becoming the parent of a sick or premature newborn can be particularly distressing for parents. They often encounter challenges to the development of their parenting roles. Perception of the hospital stay has never been analyzed on a large scale.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze parents' perception of their involvement in the care of their newborn.
  
  
  METHODS
  An internet-based survey started in France in February 2014 on the basis of a validated questionnaire composed of 222 neonatal care-related items. A quantitative and qualitative analysis was performed on the items dealing with parents' involvement until August 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey was completed by 1500 parents, 98 % of whom were mothers. The infants had a mean GA of 32 weeks and a mean birth weight of 1600g. Parents rated their first care of their infant with mixed emotions (joy, stress, etc.). Parents were willing to practice new skills through guided participation, even for more complex care. Skin-to-skin care was only proposed after 7 days for 20 % of the parents; 10 % of the parents did not feel secure during this practice. The need for privacy and professional guidance was essential for meaningful skin-to-skin contact.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parents' perception of participating actively in their infant's care was positive and they felt guided by the nursing team. Most of them would have been more active with guidance. Skin-to-skin care was appreciated and desired, but could become stressful if the conditions were not optimal.
authors: Unité de néonatologie, hôpital des enfants, 330, avenue de Grande-Bretagne, 31059 Toulouse cedex 9, France. Electronic address: casper.c@chu-toulouse.fr.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Casper
authors: Service de médecine néonatale, centre hospitalier intercommunal de Créteil, 97010 Créteil, France.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Caeymaex
authors: Unité de néonatologie, hôpital des enfants, 330, avenue de Grande-Bretagne, 31059 Toulouse cedex 9, France.
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Dicky
authors: Collectif inter-associatif autour de la naissance (CIANE), 75014 Paris, France.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Akrich
authors: Association SOS Préma, 32, rue du Chemin-vert, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Reynaud
authors: Association SOS Préma, 32, rue du Chemin-vert, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Bouvard
authors: Collectif inter-associatif autour de la naissance (CIANE), 75014 Paris, France.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Evrard
authors: Service de réanimation néonatale, hôpital Hautepierre, CHU de Strasbourg, 67098 Strasbourg, France.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Kuhn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002673:Child, Hospitalized; D016638:Critical Illness; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires