A systematic review of fatherhood and kangaroo care in the NICU

Abstract

BackgroundEach year millions of fathers face the hospitalization of their premature babies in the NICU. Without having any preparation to accompany the hospitalization of the newborn. Hospitalization in the NICU generates an abrupt separation between the parents and the newborns, complicating the development of attachment between the father-baby dyad; to prevent this, NICU use the KC, a low-cost method that promotes and improves attachment. ObjectiveThis systematic review aimed to identify what the experience of fatherhood is like having a premature baby and performing KC at a NICU. MethodWe searched in the databases APA PsycNet, BVS, Web of Science, PubMed,Scopus, and The Cochrane Library (The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled.Trials), with the period from 2010 to October 2023. We followed the criteria from the.Prisma manual for this systematic review. We use the Critical Appraisal Skills Program.to assess the studies' quality and the Mendeley software to manage the references. ResultsThe searches returned a total of 928 articles and of these 37 were eligible. The results of the articles for the review were synthesized analyzing the theme. The father's experience in the NICU has benefited from the kangaroo method and from the skin-to-skin that strengthens the father-baby attachment.Conclusions and implications for practice: Support from health professionals is vital to encourage fathers to care for their babies. Fathers' emotions are a mixture of positive feelings such as joy for their child's birth and sadness for the hospitalization. It is essential that the health personnel include fathers, fostering equity between the mother and the father. Hospital policies must ensure the free insertion of the father into the NICU.