I had to comment on this thread of swaddling when it comes to premies.  We all know that the rules change when you're talking about a premie.  The "rules" like 'no pacifiers' go out the window when you're talking about a premie in a nursery away from mom at least some of the day and exposed to
myriad uncomfortable situations and procedures.  I think swaddling is comforting for most babies because they are used to the confinement of the womb in the early days.  It can be very useful for babies who are too upset to eat as a means of getting them calmed down.  When it comes to premies, we
use the program called "wee care" where our babies all get "bendy bumpers" which give them confines around their bodies.  There are precise positioning suggestions for the babies to facilitate increased comfort, especially while babies are in warmers or covered isolettes.  It is known that it is
comforting for babies to have their hands near their face and so that is part of the positioning protocol here.  The value of this is more than just improving hand coordination.  What I have noticed in the year or so since we started using this program is less crying, more quiet in the SCN.  Also,
less "sandwich" heads since they can be propped against the bumpers.  This is a wonderful program if you haven't heard of it and worth investigating for any level II or III nursery because it supports the developmental needs of the premie, not just the physical.  (We even have music therapy!)    I
have a different perspective on the statement <<such than it is for the >nurse to save 5 minutes of time by not having to replace a tube >>.  It is not just that it takes time for a nurse to do this, it is not a pleasant experience for a baby to have the tube "dropped" repeatedly, though it is
inevitable.  Our staff tape those little suckers down pretty securely!  I know a dedicated breastfeeding mom here who would rather her baby get a bottle than have the tube "dropped" again!  She even suspects that has had something to do with her son's reflux problem, and I'm not sure but that she's
close to being right!  Just my thoughts!
Marsha

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Marsha Glass RN, BSN, IBCLC~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future generations as all other earthly causes combined.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~John S. C. Abbot~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



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