The need of having a plan in excessive infant crying – A qualitative study of parents' experiences of healthcare support

Ginkel, Margreet W Harskamp-van; Klazema, Willemien; Hoogsteder, Mariëtte; Chinapaw, Mai J. M.; Houtum, Lieke van

doi:10.1111/apa.16618

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 22 publications

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“…When infants cried excessively, and for a long time, it made parents feel that there must be a somatic cause, according to a study by Harskamp‐Van Ginkel et al 3 If the parents could soothe their infant, they felt more confident that their infant was healthy. Parental needs were best fulfilled by professionals who took them seriously demonstrated medical expertise and suggested a practical plan.…”

Section: Having the Plan To Deal With Excessive Infant Crying Helped ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Käll¹,

Lagercrantz²

2023

Acta Paediatrica

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Section: Having the Plan To Deal With Excessive Infant Crying Helped ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Issue Highlights

Käll¹,

Lagercrantz²

2023

Acta Paediatrica

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The need of having a plan in excessive infant crying – A qualitative study of parents' experiences of healthcare support

et al. 2022

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Infant crying and sleeping problems are periodically prevalent in many newborns, but when it is more severe and persistent, it is called excessive infant crying or infant colic. The prevalence of excessive infant crying lies between 5% and 25%, depending on the definition and research design. 1,2 Crying can last for multiple hours per day, but does not have a somatic cause in >95% of infants. 3,4 Definitions of excessive crying contain either the prolongation or excesses of crying, or the inability to soothe, and are limited to somatically healthy infants. 2,5,6 Despite the lack of a somatic cause, evidence and practice acknowledge that excessive crying can have long-term consequences for the development, health, and attachment of the infant. 5,7,8 Parents looking for medical care for their excessive crying infants often expect medical advice and solutions, such as pharmacological

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‘Either something's wrong, or I'm a terrible parent’: A systematic review of parent experiences of illness‐related interpretations for unsettled babies

Dobson,

Hornsey,

Ghio

et al. 2024

Journal of Advanced Nursing

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AimsTo explore parents' experiences of unsettled babies and medical labels.DesignQualitative systematic review, thematic synthesis and development of a conceptual model.Review MethodsSystematic review and thematic synthesis of primary, qualitative research into parents' experiences of unsettled babies <12 months of age. ‘Unsettled’ was defined as perception of excessive crying with additional feature(s) such as vomiting, skin or stool problems. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist was used to assess trustworthiness.Data SourcesStructured searches completed in CINAHL, Medline, Embase, PsychINFO and CochraneCT on 23 March 2022 and rerun on 14 April 2023.ResultsTen eligible studies were included across eight countries contributing data from 103 mothers and 24 fathers. Two analytical themes and eight descriptive themes were developed.Firstly, parents expressed fearing judgement, feeling guilty and out of control as a result of babies' unsettled symptoms and seeking strategies to construct an ‘Identity as a “Good Parent”’.This desire for positive parenting identity underpinned the second analytical theme ‘Searching for an explanation’ which included seeking external (medical) causes for babies' unsettled behaviours.ConclusionParents can become trapped in a cycle of ‘searching for an explanation’ for their baby's unsettled behaviours, experiencing considerable distress which is exacerbated by feelings of guilt and failure.Impact and Implications for Patient CareInsight gained from this review could inform interventions to support parents, reducing inaccurate medicalization.Health visiting teams supporting parents with unsettled baby behaviour could focus on supporting a positive parenting identity by managing expectations, normalizing the continuum of infant behaviours, reducing feelings of guilt or uncertainty and helping parents regain a feeling of control.Reporting MethodENTREQ guidelines were adhered to in the reporting of this review.Patient or Public ContributionParent input was crucial in the design phase; shaping the language used (e.g., ‘unsettled babies’) and in the analysis sense‐checking findings.

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The need of having a plan in excessive infant crying – A qualitative study of parents' experiences of healthcare support

Cited by 3 publications

References 22 publications

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The need of having a plan in excessive infant crying – A qualitative study of parents' experiences of healthcare support

‘Either something's wrong, or I'm a terrible parent’: A systematic review of parent experiences of illness‐related interpretations for unsettled babies

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