Parents’ experiences and use of parenting resources during the transition to parenthood

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>The purpose of this paper is to report on new parents’ experiences of using the available range of parenting resources that help to guide parenting choices and practices. Using a semi-structured interview schedule, 30 participants were asked about their engagement with parenting resources. The types of resources considered most salient to the participants of this study in Victoria, Australia, included professional services, peers, family and friends, and written material. On the whole, these parents valued expert opinion when they encountered problems but experienced a level of frustration when they did not ‘feel heard’ by professionals or when faced with mixed messages. While they reported some resistance to overt advice offered by family and friends, especially if the information was considered ‘out-dated’, they relied heavily on informal advice and support from peers, even if this was supported only by anecdotal evidence.</jats:p>

Working with families: A systematic scoping review of family-centred care in universal, community-based maternal, child, and family health services

“…This lack of diversity was identified in most included studies. Fathers’ perspectives were often provided by their partners (Clark et al, 2016; Sanders et al, 2018) or nurses (Bidmead, 2013; Clark et al, 2016). Three studies included men who were health professionals (e.g., Clendon and Dignam (2010), Kearney and Fulbrook (2012) and Psaila et al (2014)).…”

“…As is often the case in MCFH research, although reporting on perspectives of parents, fathers were rare participants in reported research, and their perspectives were usually provided by others (Astbury et al, 2017; Bidmead, 2013; Sanders et al, 2018). The included literature focused on nurse–mother relationships.…”

“…Absence of flexibility in service and practitioner attitudes were identified as barriers to care. Sanders et al illustrated this in their phenomenological study of parent perspectives of MCFH care: “While many parents benefit from the service, some parents think the service could be improved with extended after-hours service, … and a more flexible approach taken by some nurses” (Sanders et al, 2018: 15).…”

“…Service flexibility that adapts to change and can be individually focused was identified as beneficial. It was described in terms of service location (Rossiter et al, 2019a), frequency, and length of contact (Kearney and Fulbrook, 2012), as well as positive attributes of service providers (Bidmead, 2013; Sanders et al, 2018). In addition, flexible service provision supports autonomy by enabling families to seek support according to need (Kearney and Fulbrook, 2012) and parenting confidence (Clark et al, 2016; Rossiter, 2019a).…”

Parents’ Emotional Responses to Early Parenthood

“…As such, parents may be left feeling deficient if they do not achieve the recommended standard. It is essential therefore, for parents and the practitioners who work with them, to think critically about the content and the motivation for producing the material/advice (Sanders et al, 2020).…”