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Postural support improves distress and pain during diaper change in preterm infants

Journal of Perinatology volume 29, pages 504–507 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To determine the effects of a postural support protocol on the physiological and behavioral stability of preterm infants while undergoing a diaper change.

Study Design:

Forty-seven newborns having a birth weight ⩽2000 g and gestational age ⩽35 weeks were included in this randomized, crossover clinical trial in a Neonatology Intensive Care Unit. The infants were observed as his or her own control and evaluated with and without the use of the proposed intervention, which was positioning the baby in a nest produced with rolled-up towels. During the observations, as control, the care model used by the unit was considered.

Result:

All babies displayed increased distress and pain scores during diaper changes. This was significantly less for babies nested compared with non-nested babies (P<0.0001).

Conclusion:

Diaper change is a distressing procedure for preterm infants. Providing postural support during diaper changes reduces the signs of distress and pain.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the Research Support Fund (FIPE) of the Hospital de Clínicas in Porto Alegre and by a CNPq Scholarship.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Science Center, The Federal University of Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, Brazil

    T Comaru

  2. Pediatric and Puericulture Department for the Medical School of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Hospital de Clínicas, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    E Miura

Authors
  1. T Comaru
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  2. E Miura
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to T Comaru.

Additional information

The study was registered by no. 03279 in the Institutional Review Board IRB0000921.

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Cite this article

Comaru, T., Miura, E. Postural support improves distress and pain during diaper change in preterm infants. J Perinatol 29, 504–507 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2009.13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2009.13

Keywords

  • development
  • behavior
  • handling
  • stress
  • neonate

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