Discharge for Dads: A Video-Based Pilot Intervention in the Nursery Supporting First-Time Fathers
Mikaela Thompson, Kathleen O’Sullivan, Clarissa Simon, Katy Bedjeti, Sarah Genelly, Craig F. GarfieldOBJECTIVES
As fathers influence infant outcomes, identifying key intervention moments for new fathers is warranted. This study tested the feasibility of recruiting first-time fathers in the newborn nursery and examined knowledge and behaviors around infant safety following a video intervention.
METHODS
This was a single-arm, pre-post feasibility study conducted in the newborn nursery with a convenience sample of first-time fathers of full-term infants instructed to watch educational videos on safe sleep, car safety, and infant crying. Validated infant-safety survey measures were collected at enrollment and at 1 week and 1 month post-discharge. Analysis includes descriptive statistics, feasibility of hospital-based recruitment, and knowledge and behaviors pre- and post-intervention.
RESULTS
From June to December 2023, 167 participants were enrolled. Of these, 162 (97%) completed the initial pre-video intervention survey, 143 (86%) watched the videos and completed the post-video survey, 125 (87%) completed the 1-week survey, and 118 (83%) completed the 1-month survey. Pre-video, fathers had high levels of safe sleep behavior knowledge, including back to sleep (98%) and sleeping alone (95%), but lower levels for avoiding car seat (29%) and swing/rocker (20%) sleep, and reasons for infant crying (55%) and crying timing (77%). Post-video intervention, although sleep and crying knowledge improved, this knowledge was not consistent at home. Knowledge about the use of a rear-facing car seat was high, with safe riding in the appropriate car seat universal among the sample.
CONCLUSIONS
Targeted interventions for fathers in the newborn nursery are feasible. Educational, evidence-based videos can increase awareness around key infant-safety issues for first-time parents.