Parental self-confidence in newborn care: scoping review

Abstract

Introduction

When a child is born, necessary care for their development arises, which is part of the transition to parenthood. This transition, initiated during pregnancy, becomes real with the arrival of the newborn. Reviewing the barriers and facilitators that contribute to parental self-confidence in caring for the newborn can help to identify couples’ needs and plan interventions centered on the triad, enabling a positive transition to, and experience of, parenthood. A scoping review was conducted to identify the available evidence and knowledge gaps related to the topic.

Objective

To map the scientific evidence on the barriers and facilitators, that influence parental self-confidence in caring for the newborn.

Methods

The review, follows the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), and the evidence search was conducted through the databases MEDLINE Ultimate, CINAHL Ultimate, MedicLatina, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Web of Science, and PubMed. Studies were selected if they addressed the barriers and facilitators that contribute to parental self-confidence in newborn care among parents of healthy newborns, across any healthcare or caregiving setting. Studies in Spanish, French, English, and Portuguese were considered, within the time frame from January 2018 to September 2025. Articles were evaluated by two reviewers.

Results

Sixteen studies were included. The extracted data were grouped into categories of barriers and facilitators: technological, social, physiological, educational, professional, and gender-related factors. Key facilitators included the use of online programs, face-to-face and online support groups, continuity of care between the prenatal and postnatal periods, skin-to-skin contact, and rooming-in. The main barriers identified were the undervaluation of the postpartum period, insufficient postnatal support and education, contradictory information provided by family members, primiparity and short parental leave.

Conclusion

The findings indicate the importance of strengthening postpartum care, ensuring access to an informed support network, and actively involving fathers in newborn care.