The effect of video‐mediated communication on father‐infant bonding and transition to fatherhood during and after Satogaeri Bunben

Abstract

Aims The study aimed to explore the effect of video‐mediated communication on father‐infant bonding and transition to fatherhood during and after Satogaeri Bunben. Background Satogaeri Bunben is a Japanese perinatal tradition that results in the pregnant wife and husband living apart, which may interfere with father‐infant bonding and transition to fatherhood. Design/Methods A mixed‐methods study was conducted from July 2012 to November 2015. Participants were divided into two groups (Treatment/Control). Quantitative data included Taiji kanjyo Hyotei Syakudo (TKHS) , communication methods, husband's visitation records and video‐mediated communication records and satisfaction of video‐mediated communication experience. Qualitative data included participants' journal entries about their experience and feelings toward their infants during Satogaeri Bunben. Results Fourteen treatment and thirteen control dyads/couples participated in the study. There were significant differences between groups in the frequency of fathers' visitation during Satogaeri Bunben, as well as on the THKS between groups in cross‐sectional analysis and in treatment group in longitudinal analysis. Fathers' journal entries revealed the use of video‐mediated communication in both groups, specifically commenting about these experiences and the impact of additional visual cues when communicating. Conclusion Video‐mediated communication provides a sense of virtual co‐presence, which may help support father‐infant bonding and transition to fatherhood; however, it does not completely substitute for face‐to‐face interaction.

Cesarean delivery rates for overall and multiple pregnancies in Japan: A descriptive study using nationwide health insurance claims data

“…To estimate prefecture‐level cesarean delivery rates for overall and multiple pregnancies, we calculated the number of cesareans by location of the institution providing the first pregnancy‐related care and divided it by the number of deliveries per prefecture (based on maternal residence) from Vital Statistics. Some mothers traditionally stay at their parents' home temporarily in preparation for parturition and give birth near their parents' home, which is called “traditional satogaeri deliveries” in Japan, 22 although there are no official data on these births. Prefectural cesarean delivery rates were estimated to be 100% when the number of cesarean deliveries based on the location of the first pregnancy‐related visit exceeded the number of total deliveries based on maternal residence.…”

The Current Concept of Paternal Bonding: A Systematic Scoping Review

“…Although a few studies originally defined paternal–infant bonding [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ], most studies used a definition that was not distinguished from maternal bonding. All descriptions are shown in Table 2 .…”

“…Some studies defined paternal–infant bonding as the unique process of fathers’ attachment to their babies and their relationship [ 29 ]. Kerstis et al [ 32 ] described that “bonding reflects a process originating from the parent directed toward the infant [ 43 ]; this should not be confused with attachment, which is reciprocal with the infant’s proximity seeking [ 44 ].” It was also observed that this process developed slowly through interactions and was established during the perinatal period with biological, psychological, and social factors involved [ 24 , 25 ].…”

“…Hoffenkamp et al [ 38 , 49 ] assessed paternal bonding by combining the My Baby and I questionnaire (MBI [ 51 ]), the questionnaire version of the Yale Inventory of Paternal Thoughts and Actions (YIPTA [ 52 ]), and the Pictorial Representation of Attachment Measure (PRAM [ 53 ]). Other tools included the Bonding Scale [ 24 , 42 ], the Portuguese version of the Mother–Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS [ 33 ]), the Taiji Kanjyo Hyotei Syakudo (TKHS [ 25 ]) [ 54 ]), the Japanese version of the Mother–Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS-J [ 55 ]) [ 39 ], the validated Maternal-Fetal Attachment questionnaire (MFA [ 56 , 57 ]) [ 34 ], the Father-to-Infant Bonding Scale [ 42 , 58 ], the Paternal Fetal Attachment Scale [ 57 ]; [ 59 ], the Role of the Father Questionnaire (ROFQ [ 60 ]), and the Father–Infant Bonding Beliefs Questionnaire (FIBBQ [ 61 ]) [ 40 ]. The “parental attachment to the child” subscale of the Parenting Stress Index (PSI [ 62 ]) was also used to measure bonding [ 63 ].…”

“…A study based in Japan measured paternal bonding via a mixed-methods approach. It combined a self-report questionnaire and observed fathers’ behavior through video records and journals [ 25 ]. A study based in Belgium also combined video recordings at delivery and interviews [ 74 ].…”