Table 2 basic themes and their respective quotes within the wider organisational theme of family integration (F = family M = mum D = dad)

Basic themes: Parent-baby bonding

F8(M):And it's like, no, I have had a baby and it's there. That's my baby. So I just think mentally, psychologically it has loads of benefits. F10(M): Our baby was in a hospital which was about an hour from our house and because we also have a two-year-old toddler it meant we couldn’t be there all the time, or as early as we wanted in the evenings…so when it was mentioned that we could use it (livestreaming), we thought great! Cause then we can see him, then in the evening like say goodnight to him and that would be really sweet. I just thought that’s so great. F1(M): we’d all sit and watch him on a big screen eating breakfast, it was really…social F13(M): I could be pumping and you know, and doing my early morning expressing whilst watching the babies on my phone and I could feel kind of connected to them…that was really really beneficial

Grandparents / wider family

F13(M): it was really super positive for them (grandparents) and, lovely for us as well, because you know, even though we could send still pictures, it's not the same as actually kind of getting to know the personalities of the babies and so even though there wasn't the sound, it was lovely for them to be able to interact and see, you know, start to learn the kind of babies personalities a little bit…we had them virtually babysitting, so we'd say, you know, we're having a shower at this point, or you know having some dinner, or, you know, getting to and from the hospital, so could you watch? Have a little look and see how they're doing, so that was really lovely, it was almost like a virtual babysitting service where they could just keep an eye on, in that way F4(M): it was both sets of grandparents and aunties…then there was a very close group of friends that we have…and we’re all really touched that we had offered it to them, and they got to feel connected with baby as well F6(M): they (wider family) used to watch him, even if I’m like, for example, I’m busy with my son…or I shower or something, I’d send the link to my sisters and I’d say, watch they baby until I finish showering, or cooking, or something like that

Siblings

F10(M): we got a teddy from home and she (sibling) washed it for him and we took it in and we gave, we put it in his incubator, so that she could see that he had the teddy which was really helpful for her to see, like something she had that he had and kind of helps them, helped her like associate that teddy with the baby and what was going on 'cause it's hard for two year olds to get her head around F11(D): it as really good to have the webcam because, so each night before she (sibling) went to bed, cause the times worked out perfectly for this, she’d get to see baby and she’d give the phone a kiss and a cuddle before going to bed. So it was good for her to kind of get used to the idea of having a brother as well F6(M): when he (sibling) saw him on webcam, he would say oh my god, this is my baby, baby came out of your belly! So happy looking at him and moving his finger and moving his head and stuff like that. Mummy, come, come! He’s moving his finger!