Premature Birth Clinical Trial
Official title:
A Feasibility Study of the SNUBY®, a Skin-to-skin Garment, in the Preterm Infant
Skin-to-skin care (placing the nappy-clad baby on the mother's bare chest and draping both in
a blanket) is known to benefit both baby and mother. Benefits to the baby include warmth,
reduced crying, and stabilisation of heart rate, breathing and blood sugar, and promotion of
breastfeeding while simultaneously reduces mother's anxiety, improves bonding, and increases
breastmilk production. Although these benefits are even more pronounced for preterm, studies
show most preterm babies do not receive adequate skin-to-skin care due to fears such as
dislodging intravenous lines, ventilation tubes, monitor wires and concerns about safety and
privacy. Measures are therefore required to increase maternal confidence and awareness and
facilitate skin-to-skin care for preterm infants.
SNUBY® (SNUggle baBY) is a purpose-built garment for facilitation of skin-to-skin care in
preterm infants. It is made of comfortable, breathable bamboo fabric with an attractive
appearance such that it can be worn as a normal garment.
In addition, it has distinctive features that allow the baby to be placed in a specially
designed pouch, in direct contact with the mother's skin, with supports for lines and tubes
that may be attached to the baby. Although many garments are commercially available for
mothers to carry babies, no such specially designed garment has ever been tested
scientifically and none are specifically designed for preterm babies. In this observational
study, the investigators will initially test the feasibility of using the SNUBY® in preterm
infants by inviting five mothers-preterm infant pairs, with mother's written informed
consent, to use the garment under direct supervision. Following this, the investigators will
analyse the safety and acceptability of using it on a larger scale to facilitate skin-to-skin
care in preterm babies. The investigators will gather information on the staff and mothers'
knowledge of skin-to-skin care and their experience of using SNUBY®.
Skin-to-skin contact is used as part of a package of Kangaroo Mother Care across the world.
This has been demonstrated to reduce neonatal morbidity, mortality, and inpatient stays for
low birth weight and preterm infants (Charpak and Ruiz 2016).
This study examines the effect a facilitating garment, the Snuby® has on neonatal health
outcomes associated with skin-to-skin contact, such as neonatal thermoregulation,
breastfeeding status, and self-reported mother-infant bonding. It uses a mixed methods
approach to address quantitative and qualitative outcomes including participant's
perspectives, and measurable health markers.
