Barriers to parents' accessing peer support
The size and budget of a NICU most often determine what level of formal support can be provided to families as well as whether the NICU can embrace a peer support program and whether it is hospital- or community-based. Even when peer support programs are offered to NICU parents, many families still encounter barriers to accessing them. Each family's needs may vary, making it difficult for a peer support program to provide a best fit for all. Redundancy of professional and peer support services may lead to underutilization of the latter,17 and inadequate cultural awareness on the part of staff as well as their limited availability to do outreach may also reduce families' access to peer support services.
Some NICU families may not feel justified in using support services. This may be the case if they are experiencing a shorter NICU stay, if they have a full-term baby in the NICU or feel their baby is not having major health issues or if they do not feel the need for support until they have been in the NICU for a longer period of time. Parents often do not want to leave their baby's bedside to access support; time constraints may be another limitation. Transportation issues, especially for mothers who have undergone a cesarean delivery, or financial difficulties can further impede parents' ability to access hospital-based peer support services. In addition, parent's lack of awareness of available services may limit their use.17