{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T04:37:31Z","timestamp":1787027851899,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":54,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,14]],"date-time":"2026-01-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768348800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Children"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Parents caring for preterm infants during hospital admission have unique needs. How these are addressed plays an important role in parents\u2019 ability to cope with caregiving responsibilities. Educational programmes have proven beneficial to parents during their infant\u2019s stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), for both parental and neonatal outcomes. Key components of parenting education during the NICU stay have been described; however, less is known about our understanding of parents\u2019 educational needs, specifically in the South African context. Objectives: To explore parental needs and perceptions regarding a parenting education intervention provided to them while in the NICU, with a focus on programme content, structure, and mode of delivery. Methods: Three focus group discussions were conducted with mothers of preterm infants admitted to the NICU of a referral hospital in the North West province, South Africa. Inclusion criteria comprised parents of infants born in the hospital, singletons or multiples, with a gestational age below 37 weeks, and expected to stay in the NICU for at least 7 days. Discussions centred on mothers\u2019 perceived needs regarding parenting education based on their experiences during their baby\u2019s NICU admission. Results: Twenty-five mothers of singletons or multiples born before 37 weeks of gestation participated in the study. Three main themes were identified: (1) preference for content topics to include basic infant care, infant health and behaviours, and post-discharge related information; (2) education programme structure, which included instructional approaches and training logistics; and (3) support needs, including intrapersonal motivators, communication, and psychosocial and physical support. Conclusions: Participants recognised educational content needs that align with existing literature. However, they also emphasised the importance of addressing basic physical and emotional needs while receiving educational content, ensuring that parents feel empowered and capable of engaging with the information.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/children13010126","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,14]],"date-time":"2026-01-14T11:01:14Z","timestamp":1768388474000},"page":"126","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Parental Educational Needs During the NICU Stay: Mothers\u2019 Perspectives"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2468-5687","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Welma","family":"Lubbe","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Developmental Paediatrics, Department Paediatrics & Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children\u2019s Hospital, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa"},{"name":"NuMIQ Research Focus Area, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0276-9660","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kirsten A.","family":"Donald","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Developmental Paediatrics, Department Paediatrics & Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children\u2019s Hospital, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2732","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pec.2021.04.011","article-title":"What parents want to know about caring for their preterm infant: A longitudinal descriptive study","volume":"104","author":"Furtak","year":"2021","journal-title":"Patient Educ. 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