2006 Volume 20 Issue 2 Pages 2_85-2_93
The Research Center for Development of Nursing Practice in St. Luke's College of Nursing planned, implemented and evaluated a program with the objective to prepare siblings for the birth of another sibling in the family.
A total of 89 families enrolled in the program. Classes averaged 8.1 families representing the 25.9 participants. The average age of the attending children was 3.8 years old. Eleven classes were held from July 2005 to November 2005. A questionnaire evaluation was conducted before and after the class and again after the birth of the sibling.
Evaluation before classes began revealed that the main reasons for attending the class were to: (1) prepare older siblings for a new role, (2) understand the mechanism of pregnancy and childbirth and (3) join in the childbirth. In addition, parents reported they wanted to know how to explain sex and pregnancy/childbirth to children and how to care for older siblings after the baby was born.
Evaluation after the class ended indicated that the most impressive experiences were: (1) holding the life-sized baby doll, (2) a puppet show of childbirth and (3) a picture story showing the mechanisms of pregnancy/childbirth.
Evaluation after childbirth indicated that the children had changed after the class: (1) they talked about the baby more, (2) they were gentler toward their mothers' abdomen, and (3) they wanted to help their mothers a lot. Half of the parents answered that now children could naturally understand the process of childbirth and smoothly participate in the childbirth process.
Overall we received positive responses from participants. However it is important for the next phase that we examine approaches for more effective advertisement, adequacy of manpower and effectiveness of the evaluation method of the program.
