AimLittle is known about the amount of physical parent–infant closeness in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and this study explored that issue in six European countries.MethodsThe parents of 328 preterm infants were recruited in 11 NICUs in Finland, Estonia, Sweden, Norway, Italy and Spain. They filled in daily diaries about how much time they spent in the NICU, in skin‐to‐skin contact (SSC) and holding their babies in the first two weeks of their hospitalisation.ResultsThe parents' NICU presence varied from a median of 3.3 (minimum 0.7–maximum 6.7) to 22.3 (18.7–24.0) hours per day (p < 0.001), SSC varied from 0.3 (0–1.4) to 6.6 (2.2–19.5) hours per day (p < 0.001) and holding varied from 0 (0–1.5) to 3.2 (0–7.4) hours per day (p < 0.001). Longer SSC was associated with singleton babies and more highly educated mothers. Holding the baby for longer was associated with gestational age. The most important factor supporting parent–infant closeness was the opportunity to stay overnight in the NICU. Having other children and the distance from home to the hospital had no impact on parent–infant closeness.ConclusionParents spent more time in NICUs if they could stay overnight, underlining the importance that these facilities play in establishing parent–infant closeness.

BackgroundStudies of parents’ psychological well-being in single-family rooms in neonatal intensive care units have shown conflicting results.AimsTo compare emotional distress in the form of depression, anxiety, stress and attachment scores among parents of very preterm infants cared for in a single-family rooms unit vs an open bay unit.Study designProspective survey design.SubjectParents (132) of 77 infants born at 28 0/7–32 0/7 weeks of gestation in the two units.Outcome measuresDuration of parental presence was recorded. Scores for depression (The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale), anxiety (The State–Trait–Anxiety Inventory, Short Form Y), stress (The Parent Stressor Scale: neonatal intensive care unit questionnaire and The Parenting Stress Index—short form) and attachment (Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale) measured 14 days after delivery, at discharge, expected term date and four months post-term.ResultsParents were present 21 hours/day in the single-family room unit vs 7 hours/day in the Open bay unit. Ninety-three percent of the fathers in the single-family rooms unit were present more than 12 hours per day during the first week. Mothers in the single-family rooms had a significantly lower depression score -1.9 (95% CI: -3.6, -0.1) points from birth to four months corrected age compared to mothers in the Open bay unit, and 14% vs 52% scored above a cut-off point considered being at high risk for depression (p<0.005). Both mothers and fathers in the single-family rooms reported significantly lower stress levels during hospitalization. There were no differences between the groups for anxiety, stress or attachment scores after discharge.ConclusionThe lower depression scores by the mothers and lower parental stress scores during hospitalization for both parents supports that single-family rooms care contribute to parents’ psychological wellbeing.