Infant Care

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) affects 3.39 in every 1,000 live births. A literature review was conducted to determine the varying types of nonpharmacologic management being used currently and its effect on the treatment of NAS symptoms. Fourteen articles were found that used nonpharmacologic management in the treatment of NAS. Therapies included breastfeeding, positioning, rooming-in, acupuncture/acupressure, and beds. Each of the nonpharmacologic therapies in these articles, with the exception of rocking beds, was shown to have a positive effect on the newborn with NAS.

It is a qualitative study with the objective of identifying the man's perception regarding the changes that took place in his marital relationship during the child's breast-feeding. The data were collected through interview with 13 fathers. The results indicate that men develop attitudes and feelings relative to the son and the wife; they recognize that the alterations in their marital relationship are more evident during the first three months of the child's life and they try to understand or to demonstrate indifference towards the changes.

Breastfeeding rates remain low, especially among low-income minority women. The objective of this qualitative study was to assess barriers to breastfeeding and reasons for combination feeding among low-income Latina women and their families. Meetings were held with key informants to inform the sampling plan and develop questions for focus groups.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of a brief course in self-hypnosis for childbirth on duration of the labor and other birth outcomes. DESIGN: A randomized, controlled, single-blind trial. SETTING: Aarhus University Hospital Skejby, Denmark. POPULATION: A total of 1222 healthy nulliparous women.

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence from Australia and overseas that the care provided in hospital in the early postnatal period is less than ideal for both women and care providers. Many health services face increasing pressure on hospital beds and have limited physical space available to care for mothers and their babies. We aimed to gain a more in-depth understanding of women's views, expectations and experiences of early postnatal care. METHODS: We conducted focus groups in rural and metropolitan Victoria, Australia in 2006.

The purpose of this article is to share a "research journey" to study the somewhat controversial subject of Christian intercessory prayer (CIP) utilized as a clinical intervention, and the knowledge gained along the way. This article will explore the steps in the development and implementation of clinical research to scientifically examine a phenomenon that many say cannot--and should not--be studied.

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth impairs the infant's stress response due to interruption of autonomic nervous system (ANS) development. Preterm infants demonstrate a prolonged and aberrant sympathetic response to stressors. ANS development may be promoted by massage therapy (MT), which has been shown to improve stress response in preterm infants. AIMS: The aim of this study was to compare preterm infant ANS function and stress response during sleep and caregiving epochs, as measured by heart rate variability (HRV), after two weeks of twice-daily MT.

Touch is a primary need for babies to develop as healthy human beings, writes Suzanne Adamson. Here she describes the success of her baby massage class, run as part of her health visitor remit.

This article describes a case study of infant massage for a neonate in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Infant massage is grounded in the theory of touch. In an NICU, the infant's tactile experiences can be uncomfortable or painful. This can lead to touch aversion. It is possible that providing pleasurable touch experiences through infant massage can help to develop touch acceptance. It is important to first assess the infant's readiness for massage according to his or her need and response.

BACKGROUND: Infants with neonatal cerebral insults are susceptible to excessive crying as a result of difficulties with self-regulation. AIMS: To compare the effectiveness of swaddling versus massage therapy in the management of excessive crying of infants with cerebral insults. METHODS: Randomised three-week parallel comparison of the efficacy of two intervention methods. Infants with symptoms of troublesome crying and their parents were randomly assigned to a swaddling intervention group (n = 13) or a massage intervention group (n = 12).