Introduction
confusion, fatigue, anxiety, Prematurity, preterm birth complications, deaths, sensory impairment, cognitive and language impairment
PREMATURITY, PREMATURE DELIVERY
Prematurity and low birth weight are among the most common problems in newborns [In 2019, there were 5.30 million deaths (95% CI: 4.92–5.68) among children younger than 5 years, primarily due to preterm birth complications [Preterm newborns will face more challenges than healthy newborns as a result of the insufficient growth of their bodily organs. These newborns are unable to tolerate physiological tensions. They experience more physical, mental, and emotional issues such as sensory impairment and cognitive and language impairment compared to full-term newborns [Nevertheless, mothers of preterm newborns experience their own set of physical and mental problems as a result of their premature delivery. They are sometimes unable to be at the hospital to take care of their newborn due to fatigue, medical conditions, multiple pregnancy, or other reasons, such as surgical incisions [A few studies have assessed the participation of other family members apart from the mother, such as the father, in performing this type of care. Nonetheless, these studies have shown that fathers face many challenges during the birth and hospitalization of preterm and low-birth-weight newborns. These are including confusion, stress, anxiety, and financial and occupational issues associated with the newborn’s hospitalization, which play a significant part in their parenting role and are significant factors contributing to their distance from the newborn and the ward [Also, given that Iran is an Islamic country with strict religious beliefs about privacy and values, and also given the culture and beliefs governing the research environment, the presence of fathers is an obstacle to other mothers’ breastfeeding or KC. Private NICU spaces are limited in Iran, and the participation of fathers in taking care of their newborns may create unease for other mothers during breastfeeding [