Improving post-discharge feeding support for parents of premature infants

Improving post-discharge feeding support for parents of premature infants BACKGROUND The incidence of premature births (i.e., infants born more than three weeks early) in England is 7.9% or approximately 60,000 births per year.

A significant consequence of premature birth is disrupted development of feeding and eating skills; this can include difficulties swallowing, coordinating sucking, swallowing, breathing, developing chewing skills, or refusal to eat.

More than 40% of premature infants who are deemed 'healthy' at discharge have feeding difficulties in the first year of life with problems often persisting beyond their fourth birthday.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This fellowship aims to explore parent experiences of feeding their premature infant in the first six months after hospital discharge, and co-design a post-discharge feeding resource.

This will be achieved through: Exploring evidence and guidance for parents in feeding their premature infants after discharge.

Exploring parents' experiences of feeding their premature infant in the first six months after discharge, using semi-structured interviews.

Co-design a feeding resource with parents of premature infants and healthcare professionals to support parents in the months after discharge. Evaluating the usability, functionality, and content of the resource. This will inform the development of a larger evaluation study to be conducted as a post-doctoral research programme.

METHODS This project integrates an experience-based co-design methodology with the Medical Research Council framework for the development of complex interventions to develop a feeding resource for parents of premature infants.

The fellowship will consist of four work packages (WP): WP1: a scoping review to identify existing evidence, guidelines, and advice for parents in feeding their premature infants after discharge.

WP2: a qualitative phenomenological study using semi-structured interviews to explore lived experiences of 30-40 parents of premature infants from diverse backgrounds.

WP3: co-design workshops with parents of premature infants and health professionals and development of a new feeding resource.

WP4: preliminary evaluation of the feeding resource through qualitative semi-structured interviews in preparation for a future larger-scale evaluation study.

ANTICIPATED IMPACT AND DISSEMINATION Short-term impact: Participating parents of premature infants will learn more about supporting their infants' feeding and experience the potential benefit of sharing their experiences with the researcher during interviews and other participants during co-design workshops.

Medium-term impact: Dissemination of results through conference presentations, podcasts, blogs, and publications will increase awareness of post-discharge experiences of parents and may lead to more conversations about feeding experiences at follow-up appointments and earlier identification of difficulties.

The feeding resource will support parents after discharge and may lead to improved feeding experiences, confidence in managing typical feeding challenges, and feeling less isolated by hearing about experiences of other parents. Long-term impact: It is anticipated that the resource will have a positive economic impact on the NHS.

By proactively supporting parents to develop responsive feeding techniques and supporting the early identification of infants who require additional support, it is anticipated that this resource may reduce the total healthcare cost of premature birth.

This will reduce the pressure on community health services and improve long term outcomes for infants and their families.