Benefits of a Parenting Record Handbook for Low-birth-weight Infants and Their Families

Abstract

Maternity record handbooks are a basis for Japan's maternal and child health measures. The major significance of these handbooks is allowing the management of information regarding maternal and child health from pregnancy to delivery and infancy in a single handbook [23]. To date, more than 30 countries have adopted similar handbooks to improve maternal and child health, and

Parenting Record Handbook: The Needs of Mothers Raising Low Birth Weight Infants

“…The social support received by the mother, from the time of the infant’s premature birth, seems to inhibit the development of depressive symptoms [ 29 ]. The messages of mothers with the same experiences published in the LBH have rescued, supported, and encouraged the mothers [ 21 ]. The participation in the parents’ associations of LBWIs, published in the LBH, connects mothers who understand one another’s experiences, and they become a source of continuous support for the mothers.…”

“…The parents of LBWIs struggle with their children’s development, care, and acquiring supporting information [ 31 ]. Conversely, the characteristics of LBWIs published in the LBH (risk of complications and growth), as well as the publication of public subsidies and counseling institutions, promote the mothers’ knowledge and information utilization and improve maternal and child quality of life [ 21 ]. The consistency between the research participants’ requirements for the parenting record handbook and contents of the LBH, as well as the presentation of new contents (early distribution of the parenting record handbook and measures to cope with poor maternal physical condition), suggest improvements in the contents and utilization of the parenting record handbook.…”

“…In addition, in the list of developments, “holding up the head” and “walking without support” can be written in the corrected age and age, in months, (age in year) that their children could achieve them. The users commented that they could check the growth process of LBWIs with the LBH and enjoy their children’s growth at their pace [ 21 ].…”

“…Therefore, some self-governing bodies and medical institutions have created and used a parenting record handbook for LBWIs. The Little Baby Handbook (LBH) includes information on the growth and development of LBWIs, raising and care policies, and messages for mothers and families of LBWIs from mothers with similar experiences [ 21 ]. Due to the lack of support of public services for the home care of LBWIs, it is expected that the LBH will play an important role in filling this gap.…”

“…Due to the lack of support of public services for the home care of LBWIs, it is expected that the LBH will play an important role in filling this gap. However, to the best of our knowledge, no survey had been performed to evaluate the utility of the LBH, except the research investigated in the focus group interview for mothers of LBWIs [ 21 ].…”