Bliss report - Neonatal care through a young parent lens (29 October 2021)

Summary

This report by Bliss, the UK’s leading charity for babies born premature or sick, found that young parents are often underprepared and under-supported when their babies are in neonatal care.

Research by Bliss found that more than half of young parents felt they were not as involved in caregiving or decision-making as they wanted to be when their baby was born premature or sick. It also highlighted contradictory messages that young mothers are given throughout their pregnancy that their youth will be a protective factor, despite an increased risk of prematurity and neonatal mortality for babies born to mothers aged under 20. This myth leaves many young parents feeling unprepared, enhancing their feelings of shock and disbelief if their babies are born unwell.