Not just the baby: Holding parents in the neonatal surgical journey

Recommendations to improve support are provided at universal, targeted and specialist levels. For example, it is advised that all parents receive preparation throughout different stages of the treatment journey through antenatal counselling, ward tours, and the opportunity to speak to former patients. Efforts should be made to solicit parents' feelings and concerns to enable them to feel heard and cared for. A number of parents may experience heightened levels of distress, for whom access to specialist psychological support may be indicated.