Hammock and nesting in preterm infants: randomized controlled trial
Kassandra Silva Falcão Costa1, Danielle da Silva Fernandes1, Rayanne Augusta Parente Paula1
1Universidade de Brasília. Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil.
Insights
The hammock position did not significantly alter physiological variables in preterm infants post-diaper change. However, hammocks were found to promote sleep compared to not using them.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Developmental pediatrics
Background:
- Preterm infants exhibit unique physiological and behavioral responses to caregiving practices.
- Diaper changes can disrupt the stability of preterm infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare physiological variables and sleep-wake patterns in preterm infants placed in nesting versus hammock positions after diaper changes.
- To evaluate the impact of different positioning methods on preterm infant stability.
Main Methods:
- Crossover randomized controlled trial involving 20 preterm infants.
- Assessment of heart rate, oxygen saturation, and sleep-wake states.
- Infants were positioned in nests or hammocks post-diaper change.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences in physiological variables (heart rate, oxygen saturation) between nest and hammock positions.
- Significant differences in sleep patterns were observed with hammock use, favoring sleep compared to baseline and response phases.
Conclusions:
- Neither nesting nor hammock positions showed significant differences in physiological stability post-diaper change.
- The hammock position appears to promote better sleep outcomes for preterm infants compared to its absence.
Objective:
To compare the physiological variables and the sleep-wake pattern presented by preterm in nesting and hammock positions after diaper change.
Method:
This is a crossover randomized controlled trial. It was conducted with 20 preterm infants who, after diaper change, were placed in nests or hammocks. These preterm infants were evaluated for physiological variables (heart rate and oxygen saturation) and behavioral variables (sleep and wakefulness).
Results:
There was no statistically significant difference in the studied variables between nesting and hammock positions. However, regarding the categorical variable sleep, the comparison between the research phases for the hammock position showed differences between the baseline phase and the immediate recovery (p=0.00), baseline and late recovery (p=0.00), response and immediate recovery (p=0.00), response and late recovery (p=0.00).
Conclusion:
No differences were identified between the nest and the hammock; however, the use of the hammock favored the sleep of preterm infants compared to its non-use.
