A comparison of temperature in VLBW infants swaddled versus unswaddled in a double-walled incubator in skin control mode

Abstract

Purpose: To determine differences in temperature for very low birth weight (VLBW) infants when swaddled and unswaddled in heated, double-walled incubators.

Design: A crossover design was used with infants receiving both the swaddled and unswaddled conditions.

Sample: 15 very low birth weight infants (< 1,500 gms) with postconceptional ages of 29.1 +/- 1.5 weeks.

Main outcome variable: Infant temperature in swaddled and unswaddled conditions.

Results: Abdominal temperatures during swaddling were 0.2 degree C higher than the unswaddled condition. In the swaddled condition, infants required a lower incubator temperature (mean = 26.9 +/- 0.4) than when unswaddled (mean = 29.8 +/- 0.5).