Infant-Led Incubator Weaning: A Promising Paradigm Shift in Preterm Neonatal Care

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Pediatric thermoregulation
• Infant development

Background:

• Thermoregulation is critical for preterm infant care.
• Traditional nurse-led incubator weaning protocols are standard.
• Infant-driven incubator protocols show promise.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the impact of infant-led incubator weaning on a neonatal cohort.
• To determine if infants wean at earlier gestational ages and lower weights.
• To assess weight gain during transition to open cribs.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review.
• Comparison of 40 infants weighing <1500g.
• Analysis of pre- and post-protocol change data.

Main Results:

• Infant-led weaning group had lower weights at crib transition (1836.8g vs 1975.9g, P=.02).
• Lower weight change 5 days prior to weaning in the infant-led group (141g vs 185g, P=.03).
• No significant differences in gestational age at wean, post-weaning weight change, or days to discharge.

Conclusions:

• Infant-led weaning is a safe alternative for preterm neonates.
• Potential benefits for infants and families are suggested.
• Further research with larger cohorts is needed to validate efficacy.