Transition to Parenthood for Parents of Technology-Assisted Infants

Abstract

Increasingly sophisticated medical technology has reduced the mortality rate of premature infants. A small proportion of these infants will experience chronic illnesses related to prematurity, with some requiring the continued use of medical technology (e.g., ventilators or other oxygen support) and provision of health care after they are discharged from the hospital. Parents of technology-assisted infants experience major stresses during and shortly after the child's birth and are required to make substantial role and emotional adjustments. However, parents of full-term healthy infants also experience stress during this "transition to parenthood" period. In this article, we examine the transition to parenthood that occurs for parents of full-term healthy infants, and the similarities and differences in the experiences of parents of technology-assisted infants. From this examination, we draw implications for early intervention practice for technology-assisted infants and their families.