Authors (including presenting author) :
Ip KL(1), Lai LM(2)
Affiliation :
(1)Obstetrics Unit, Queen Mary Hospital, (2)Obstetrics Unit, Queen Mary Hospital
Introduction :
We believe that fathers can play an active role in a newborn family. Evidence showed that father’s participation is crucial for positive child development, yet fathers can always be overwhelmed by role transition and expectations from families.
First time fathers are indeed, more vulnerable in this context. Tailored program for father-to-be can really make a change.
By addressing these needs, a workshop aiming to improve father engagement and support early parenthood is designed. These emerging categories related to knowledge acquisition, realistic expectations, strategy development on newborn caring, and facilitation role of a support person.
Program exploring father’s learning needs was available in 2014 HA convention and we plan to put this evidence into practice. A father-focused workshop is therefore designed to serve this purpose.
Objectives :
The workshop will focus on three main areas: facilitating role transitions for improved communication and newborn care, and teaching antenatal massage techniques to enhance intimacy and support natural birth.
Workshop Outline
1. Essential newborn caring skills e.g. hands-on skills with return practice for caring a newborn.
2. Antenatal massage techniques to promote mother’s sleep quality, enhance intimacy and support natural birth.
3. Expectations associated with becoming a parent, helping fathers understand their role in supporting their partner and child.
4. Empower fathers to shoulder a supportive role throughout pregnancy and beyond.
5. Communication skills between the couple and within a family.
Finally, we encourage open discussion on common concerns and myths. By increasing father involvement, we aim to reduce mothers' stress levels and promote better family harmony.
Methodology :
1. A questionnaire was conducted in the obstetrics wards and clinic to explore fathers’ needs and three main themes were identified
1. Father Role Transition: Developing communication skills through case discussions.
2. Basic Baby Caring Skills: Hands-on training for practical newborn care.
3. Antenatal Relaxation Massage: Techniques to promote relaxation for the mother-to-be. Midwives qualified with LK massage course.
2. Program design & planning - Innovative teaching methods facilitating participants’ reflections and practical skills adopted.
3. Recruitment - low risk primigravida after 36 weeks of gestations via telephone or in-person. Preferred attended by both husbands and wives
4. The workshop is held on every Friday, which consists of two identical sessions, each lasting for three hours in Tsan Yuk hospital. Maximum capacity of each session is 10 couples.
5. The class mainly included three parts:
1. Father role transition
2. Basic baby care skills
3. Antenatal relaxation massage to mother-to-be
6. Specially designed QR code card to enhance knowledge retention.
7. Pre- and Pro-test before the class, immediate after the class and after delivery to evaluate the effectiveness and level of knowledge retention
Result & Outcome :
Knowledge gain
The mean score of pre-test is 5/10 while mean score of post-test after the workshop and after delivery were 8. All of the participants showed improvement in knowledge gain. The knowledge gained in the workshop was able to be retained even after delivery which means they can assist in the baby care routine.
Overall satisfaction
Fathers stated in comment as follow:
"The workshop really helped me a lot, I was not afraid to take care of my baby now!"
"After the class, I was ready to be a father now!"
"My wife did sleep better and relaxed more with the massage taught in the workshop i had been performing to her these nights."
"The class cleared my misunderstanding in taking baby care and I learnt to embrace my wife's emotional changes."
" The workshop was fantastic and really worth appreciation!"
"The midwives in the workshop supportive and the class was teaching in a very interactive way!"
Around 95% of participants thought the workshop was practical while nearly 70% of them regarded the workshop as very practical. Around 96% of participants thought the workshop was useful while nearly 70% of them regarded the workshop as very useful in helping them to prepare themselves to be an expectant parent.
In conclusion, more than 96% of participants were satisfied with the workshop, while the other 4% of them stated no comment on the question. Among them, 75% of them were very satisfied and 25% of them were satisfied with the workshop. 100% of them will suggest that their friends join this workshop in future.
In a nutshell, the father-focused workshop boosted father engagement and equipped them for early parenthood.
