Comfort for preterm babies

In case of preterm birth, it is extremely important to provide the child with nursing conditions close to those in utero. This is called "developmentally appropriate care" and is of particular importance for the physiological postnatal development of a premature baby. The mother's womb is warm, dark and quiet, and the baby is in a physiological (natural) position. In modern medicine, maternal warmth helps to replace special arrangements and positioners, which are important elements of non-invasive therapy that help in the care of premature babies. Nests and special pillows are indispensable for prolonged nursing. They have unique properties of thermoregulation and heat preservation, provide additional comfort and correct body position, and at the same time ensure proper blood circulation in the baby.

After a premature birth, the baby is nursed in an incubator that maintains the required ambient temperature, i.e. creates heat. To create silence and darkness, screening of the bassinets (special capes or covers for the bassinets) is used. The covers reduce the negative impact of unnecessary noise from the outside and protect against bright light. This reduces the risk of acoustic trauma, especially in babies less than 32 weeks of gestation, shapes the development of the child's sleep-wake biorhythm, reduces stress and long-term neurological consequences. Special "nests" and rollers are used to ensure the child's physiological body position, which is called physiological positioning. Due to this, the child is in a flexor position close to the physiological one, which ensures the harmonious development of the bone and nervous system of a premature baby, and reduces stress. It has a positive impact on the child's further neuropsychological and psychosocial development.

The importance of such simple things cannot be underestimated! After all, it creates a positive emotional background for the child. The absence of stress and negative feelings, in turn, normalizes the child's respiratory rate, reduces the need for oxygen and apnea episodes, ensures a stable body temperature, improves the start of breastfeeding, reduces long-term neurological disorders, and shortens hospital stays. We currently use covers and nests, but they need to be updated.

By raising funds to purchase positioners and incubator covers for the maternity ward of the Kyiv Perinatal Center, each of you can take part in the nursing of premature babies and make their care comfortable and aimed at harmonious development!

*The full name of the hospital is Kyiv Perinatal Center.