| Abstract: | The purpose of the present study was to compare the effect two bathing methods, bathing in a tub with and without swaddle, on the behavioral responses to stress in premature infants who were hospitalized in the NICU. In this study of clinical trial, the mean behavioral stress score for infants who were given a bath in the tub without swaddle (56.84 ± 21.79) was significantly more than the one for the infants who received a swaddle bath (17.12 ± 7.67) (P < 0.001). The infants’ crying time in the group without swaddle (15.57 s) was longer than the group with swaddle (5 s) (P < 0.001). The mean score for sudden twitches was 0.90 in infants bathed without swaddle and 0.18 in infants bathed with swaddle (P < 0.001). In this study, swaddle bathing caused fewer behavioral responses to stress in premature infants. Therefore, applying this method can improve the quality of care delivered to these infants in the NICU. |
