Posso entrar? A vivência da paternidade em uma unidade neonatal

Abstract

This work presents a research carried out during the Masters in Psychology. This is a research developed from the observation of the experience of the father figure (father) in the neonatal unit, at the University Hospital Professor Alberto Antunes, Maceió/Alagoas. For some parents, the idealized end of pregnancy does not coincide with the reality experienced, the baby at birth may need other care and be referred to the Neonatal Unit being “taken” from the parents soon after birth. The baby's stay in the NICU can be long and it is common for the mother to be discharged, in these cases, she stays in the hospital accompanying the child and the father continues to have free access to be with the baby, making visits when desired. The Neonatal Unit, in which the research was carried out, is composed of three stages, NICU/UCINCo and UCINCa. In the construction of the work, I dialogued with several actors that transit in this sector, the father, the mother, the professionals and the physical space. In the dialogues held, I tried to understand and feel how the father experiences the experience of having a hospitalized child, requiring care from a multidisciplinary team. In everyday life, I looked for in every detail how the father figure is inserted in this territory, what actions and interventions reach him. The investigation had as general objective to understand the meanings produced in relation to paternity in a Neonatal Unit. To this end, we specifically aim to: a) identify and reflect on the linguistic repertoires about paternity used in the context of the Neonatal Unit; b) identify and discuss the different positions related to paternity in the context of the Neonatal Unit; and c) Discuss paternity in the care of the child who is hospitalized in a Neonatal Unit. I used social constructionism, discursive practices and the production of meanings as theoretical foundations. My methodological tools were daily conversations, listening and observation, all recorded in detail in my logbook. The methodological course took place with my complete immersion in the daily life of the sector, acting as a researcher, seeking to break with the neutrality of a researcher and the objectivity of science, opening space for participatory, dialogic, propositional and listening positions, mixing acts of caring and investigate. With the study, it was possible to observe the need for greater investment by health professionals in educational and welcoming actions aimed not only at the mother, but at the couple. I found that the father's participation in care is incipient and we believe it is essential to include the father in this process, guiding and encouraging him to actively participate in the child's caregiver functions, supporting the mother, during the baby's hospitalization and during the child's development. I realized how the father is still an intrusive figure for the team, his presence causes discomfort, making him feel in a position of not belonging. Ambience is another factor that needs to be rethought by all professionals in the Unit, in this way the father can feel more welcomed.