Introducing the NBO into a maternity hospital: the power of babies meeting their mothers and fathers

Paul, C., Nicolson, S., Thomas, N., Chapman, M, Salo, F., Judd, F.INTRODUCING THE NEWBORN BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATION INTO A MATERNITY HOSPITAL: THE POWER OF BABIES MEETING THEIR MOTHERS AND FATHERS. Presented at WAIMH, Edinburgh, 2014.  

Abstract

Introduction: A new training centre for the Newborn Behavioral Observation (NBO) has been established at a maternity hospital in collaboration with an affiliated paediatric hospital with the aim of enhancing the development of sustained healthy infant- parent relationships in the newborn period.

Method: The NBO is a structured interaction sensitively administered by a trained clinician, along with the parents of the newborn infant and is designed to identify the baby’s unique behavioral capacities. The NBO training centre has commenced training maternity and neonatal staff with the aim of encouraging the administration of the NBO as a routine with most infants and their parents prior to discharge from hospital. It is anticipated that staff trained in the NBO will have an increased awareness of the infant’s perceptual, self-regulatory and relationship capacities, and will be able to share this awareness with the baby’s parents.

Results: The NBO training has been received enthusiastically by the first groups of staff trained. Fathers especially seemed excited and moved to be able to meet their newborn infants in this supported way. Initial experience suggests that parents of infants in the paediatric neonatal intensive care unit found the NBO enabled a deeper understanding of the emotional experience of the premature or sick baby and that this supported the development of their relationships. The training will be made available to infant and perinatal health practitioners working with a broad range of families in the community, including those at high risk.

Conclusions: The Newborn Behavioral Observation method appears to have a high level of acceptance among staff and parents in the maternity and paediatric context and has the potential to significantly consolidate sensitive and responsive infant-parent relationships in the newborn period.