1. RESEARCH AND EVALUATION: the power of babies meeting their parents
Introducing the Newborn Behavioural Observation (NBO) into a Maternity Hospital: the Power of Babies Meeting Their Mothers and Fathers (Australia) Campbell Paul1 ,2, Susan Nicolson1, Naomi Thomas1, Megan Chapman1, Frances Salo1 ,3, Fiona Judd1 ,3 1The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
The first NBO training in Australia was held at RWH in June 2013 under guidance of Prof. Kevin Nugent. The training program was led by Ass. Prof. Campbell Paul and supported by Prof. Fiona Judd at the Centre for Women’s Mental Health at The Women’s .Thanks to their shared vision, was established.
offers NBO training nationwide and aims to introduce the NBO as routine care at The Women’s tertiary maternity hospital.
In its first year nearly 150 professionals have attended training.
It has attracted philanthropic support for future and training and research of over $100K
The Liptember Foundation raised $103,261 for by selling bold, fun lipstick colours with the help of corporate partner, Chemist Warehouse.
“I’m incredibly proud to be partnered with NBOAustralia”
- Liptember Managing Director Luke Morris
“We are delighted to be able to support the development of national research, programs and prevention strategies for women and families in our community.”
- Chemist Warehouse
NBO TRAINING WORKSHOP RESULTS
THE POWER OF BABIES MEETING THEIR MOTHERS AND FATHERS:
NBO Training workshops for professionals
the training APPROACH
Six, 1.5 day, interactive training workshops in Melbourne, regional Victoria and Tasmania.
“the combination of learn, witness, practice really worked for me”
“I found that listening to other peoples’ homework piece was really enjoyable and helpful”
RESULTS AND FEEDBACK
138 professionals have attended training.
30 staff at The Women’s have trained, and 30 staff have attended a 3 hour introductory workshop.
Small but increasing numbers have so far progressed to certification as an NBO practitioner.
Trainees span many disciplines- see pie chart opposite
Training workshops have been well received (n=101 post-training questionnaire respondents):
82% learned ‘quite a lot’ or ‘a great deal’ of new information about relationship building with parents in the context of the NBO
86% scored the instruction for administering the NBO as ‘very clear’   
CHALLENGES
Only 33% attendees thought the NBO would be very easy to implement in their practice setting
Other attendees described many potential challenges to implementation.
Post- training support will be an important focus for the faculty in
RESEARCH AND EVALUATION:
the power of babies meeting their parents
planned NBO research and evaluation projects
In 2015, with philanthropic support, will begin small scale research and evaluation projects into the effectiveness and value of the NBO, with particular focus on its impact with fathers and in families where baby is very sick, cultural considerations, and collaborative projects with overseas NBO training organisations.
a completed Intervention study with teenage mothers
 In A brief intervention, added to routine maternity care to improve the adolescent mother-infant relationship, was tested at The Royal Women’s Hospital in a population of multi-cultural, pregnant adolescents (N=97). The two-session ‘AMPLE’ intervention comprised an antenatal group movie session previewing infant social capacity and a neonatal session to meet baby as a unique person facilitated by infant mental health expert.
Results Study acceptability was high in this pre-test, post-test, peer-control-group trial: participation rate 82.9% and completion rate 75.3%. There were no pre-test between-group differences across demographic, psychosocial or obstetric domains among study completers (n=73). At post-test, mother-infant interaction was significantly better in the intervention group. MANOVA analyses showed an overall intervention effect on Mother-infant interaction quality at age 4-months, blind-coded using the Emotional Availability Scales, EAS, 4th Edn. T-tests showed post-test group differences in specific EAS subscales. All effect sizes were medium-large.
Conclusions The intervention was accepted and appeared to exert a clinically meaningful effect on the adolescent mother-infant relationship. The study provided preliminary evidence a brief attachment focus, incorporated into routine maternity care, could influence the developmental trajectory of infants of young mothers from birth. The hospital has since committed to initiatives that promote infant attachment as part of its routine business.
Publication
Nicolson S, Judd F, Thomson-Salo F & Mitchell S, Supporting the adolescent mother-infant relationship: Preliminary trial of a brief perinatal attachment intervention.
Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 16,
PARENT FEEDBACK ON THE NBO
Teenage Parent quotes:
“When they are feeding and they look up at you and its like a really deep connection”
“ It was a real surprise how they interact with you: you don’t expect them to smile when you smile at them and cute stuff like that”
Parent quote:
“Words can’t express- thank you”