The Effect of Mother's Supportive Interventions on Preterm Infant Stress during Swaddle Bath: Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Bathing in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a stressful experience to preterm infants. Reducing this stress is an important challenge in bathing preterm infants. Parents' involvement in caring their infants is a dimension of family-centered care. The aim of present study was to evaluate the effects of maternal supportive interventions on the stress caused by swaddled bathing in preterm infants. Methodology: In this randomized clinical trial, 48 preterm infants randomly allocated into control and intervention groups. In intervention group the mothers were asked to initiate multisensory supportive interventions 5 minutes before and through swaddled bathing. In controls the mothers were only present during bathing. To determine the level of stress, infant responses were recorded by camera 5 minutes before bathing and 5 minutes after bathing. Then infants' stress measured by using Newborn Stress Scale (NSS). Findings: Finding was shown that the level of stress in control group was especially increased after bathing that was statistically significant (P = 0/007). Although there was an increase in stress among interventions but it was not statistically significant (P = 0/14). Conclusion: Considering the positive effects of multisensory interventions in decreasing the stress of preterm infants, it can be recommended as cost-free and non-pharmacological care during infants bathing.