Parents' Experiences With Couplet Care Following Caesarean Section in an Integrated Neonatal and Maternity Unit.
Marianne Karstensen Mortensen, Kristina Garne Holm, Louise Schlosser Mose
PMID 39937841WHAT IT FOUND
Parents who stayed with their newborn after caesarean section valued not being separated, nurse availability and clear communication.
They described growing more confident in caring for their newborn, while fathers often became primary caregivers and mothers struggled with pain and immobility.
Key findings
01Parents described moving from early trust in the nurses to becoming more independent and confident in making decisions about their newborn.
02Parents said nurse availability and calm, clear communication about plans and schedules helped them feel safe even when the nurse was not in the room.
03Fathers often became the main practical caregivers when mothers were in pain or unable to move after caesarean section.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 14 parents were interviewed, and they came from one Danish integrated neonatal and maternity unit, so the themes may not apply to other hospitals, countries or care models. The interviewer was a nurse and researcher at the unit, and parents knew this, so they may have given answers they thought were expected. Couplet Care was new in the unit and the family rooms were still changing, so parents may have experienced a service that was still being developed. The study did not measure clinical outcomes such as breastfeeding, infection, newborn recovery or maternal post-traumatic stress, so it cannot show whether Couplet Care improves them. Mothers reported sparse early memories after caesarean section, so accounts of the first hours may be incomplete.
Declared interests
The authors reported no conflicts of interest or relevant financial relationships.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these parents' positive descriptions as proof that Couplet Care improves newborn or maternal outcomes. The study interviewed 14 parents in one unit and did not measure outcomes such as breastfeeding, infection, mental health or newborn recovery.