Indian fathers and their premature baby - An early beginning: A pilot study of skin-to-skin contact, culture and fatherhood

This pilot study evaluated the impact of skin-to-skin contact on the sensitive care that fathers provided to their premature babies in five Kangaroo Mother Care programs in India. Two groups of fathers were identified: The first group (n = 14) carried their babies in skin-to-skin contact, while the second (n = 23) did not. Fathers' sensitivity and perceptions of their role were assessed using Q-sort methodology. Fathers who carried their babies in skin-to-skin contact had higher sensitivity scores and exhibited more caring behaviours than fathers who did not. It appears that early skin-to-skin contact promoted fathers' greater involvement with infants.