Background: In Sweden 120 000 infants are born each year, 5% of these are premature born. More infants survive because of the development in perinatal care, which leads to more infants being treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Therefore, new research is necessary. During the last decades NICU has developed a more family-centered care, which encourage parents to become involved in the care of their infant. Nurses have an essential role to involve parents in the care of their infant.

Aim: The aim of this study was to illuminate parents’ experiences of what is effecting their participation in the care of their premature born infant.

Method: A qualitative literature-based study has been conducted, which involves analysis of 11 qualitative articles.

Results: The results are five categories, "Being close to the infant", "A feeling of support", "Being lost", "Staff doesn’t meet the parents’ needs" and "Being separated from the infant".

Conclusion: Parents experienced a lot of feelings during their stay in the NICU. Nurse’s reception is a determinant part in parents’ participation. If nurses take a step back and let parents care for their infant it will encourage their participation. This requires that nurses have offered support to parents in their way to become more familiar with the infant.