Open policy No (%) | Restricted policy No (%) | p Value | |
Staff views | |||
Parental visiting should be: | |||
Unlimited | 94 (89.5) | 8 (13.3) | 1-165 |
Restricted to certain hours | 11 (10.5) | 52 (86.7) | |
Not allowed | 0 | 0 | |
Parental visiting: | |||
Is beneficial to infants' health | 78 (74.3) | 29 (48.3) | 1-165 |
Can shorten hospital stay | 73 (70.2) | 29 (48.3) | 1-160 |
Interferes with unit's routines | 20 (19.6) | 37 (63.8) | 1-165 |
Valuable for parents but stressful for staff | 41 (39.8) | 40 (66.7) | 1-160 |
Useful for staff | 66 (62.9) | 22 (38.6) | 1-160 |
Mothers' experience | |||
Frequency of visiting: | |||
Every day | 39 (81.3) | 25 (78.1) | NS |
Average time spent with baby per visit (min) (median (range)) | 110 (30–360) | 42 (10–90) | |
No (%) who would like to visit more | 41 (85.4) | 29 (90.6) | NS |
Reasons for not visiting more: | |||
Not allowed | 0 | 18 (62.1) | 1-165 |
Distance/costs | 16 (38.1) | 7 (24.1) | |
Family/health | 19 (45.2) | 5 (16.1) | |
Breast feeding at four weeks | 28 (58.3) | 5 (16.1) | 1-165 |