The aim of this qualitative study was to analyze family participation in care delivery to newborns in daily practice at a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The study was carried out at five hospitals in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The study subjects were healthcare professionals taking care of newborns hospitalized at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the relatives of these infants. Data were collected through participant observation and daily conversations and analyzed using Content Analysis. The data permitted capturing aspects of family participation in newborn care related to institutional organization, interaction with healthcare professionals and the care process. Different actions favoring mothers' participation in care delivery to their children were identified at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Nevertheless, the study showed that these actions have not been incorporated into the daily activities at the institution, nor into healthcare professionals' practice.
Familia; Recién nacido; Unidades de Terapia Intensiva neonatal; Relaciones profesional-familia; Atención integral de salud