Experiences, mental well-being and community-based care needs of fathers of late preterm infants: A mixed-methods pilot study.

Fathers appreciated their infant was born 'early', however, discovered through experience the demands of their infant, which appeared as stress (child and parent domains) and anxiety. Themes: hypervigilance in care explained the fathers' sense of competency and role restriction; infant fatigue and parental feeding elucidated the stressful aspect of father-infant interaction. Unscientific advice from healthcare providers was confusing and frustrating while uncertainty of rehospitalization caused worries, fears or stress. One father experienced depressive symptoms.