Hadi Pranoto, Dwi Sri Rahayu, Nila Zaimatus Septiana, Santy Andrianie
This correspondence extends the discussion initiated by Treiman-Kiveste et al. (2026) on parents' preparedness to participate in infants’ painful procedures in neonatal care. While the original article shows that preparedness is shaped by family circumstances and nursing support, this correspondence argues that parental preparedness should be understood more broadly as regulatory co-participation, not merely informational and practical readiness. Painful procedures in neonatal care are not only technical events but also relational and physiological stress experiences involving both infant and parent. Recent evidence on parent-led pain management, co-regulation, and NICU parenting support suggests that effective parental participation depends not only on what parents know, but also on whether they are supported to remain emotionally regulated and relationally attuned during procedures. From this perspective, preparation protocols may be strengthened by combining procedural explanation with brief regulatory support, such as guided breathing, grounding, and coaching in the use of voice and touch. This reconceptualisation offers a clinically relevant pathway for moving neonatal care beyond parental presence alone toward more effective parental participation during painful procedures. © 2026 Neonatal Nurses Association.
Department of Guidance and Counseling, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Muhammadiyah Metro, Jl. Ki Hajar Dewantara 110, Iringmulyo Metro Timur Kota, Lampung, Metro, Indonesia; Department Guidance and Counseling, Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya, Jln. Manggis No. 15-17, Kota Madiun, Indonesia; Islamic Education Department, IAIN Kediri, Jl. Sunan Ampel No.7, Ngronggo, Kec. Kota, Jawa Timur, Kota Kediri, 64127, Indonesia; Department Guidance and Counseling, Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta, Indonesia, Jalan Ir. Sutami 36 Kentingan, Jebres, Jawa Tengah, Surakarta, 57126, Indonesia