SENSORY STIMULUS OF PREMATURE BABIES

PREMATURE UPDATES:

PHYSICAL SIGNS OF DISCOMFORT/OVER STIMULATION

If a preemie is more irritable and less consolable than a normal baby you may be over- stimulating them. Here are some things to watch for:
Changes in skin color - Arching of back and/or neck
Repeated yawning - Eyes lids drooping
Hiccups - Crying
Flailing of arms an legs - General crankiness
Will not look at you or make eye contact. They may stare at something over your shoulder.

SENSORY STIMULUS

Many NICU centers are now telling parents not to swaddle their premature babies because they need to have their hands by their face. The reasoning they are giving is 'Sensory Stimulus.' The theory behind it is that if baby has his hands by his face he will be able to calm himself easier. Maren Peterson-DeGroff an educator and advocate for children and families wrote the following:
“Babies who don't have mature neural systems are "disorganized." They can't synthesize all the sensations and stimulus they are receiving, and they need help to get organized. The first thing a full term baby does naturally is to put their hands together in front of their body, to their "center line", to organize. If your child isn't doing this, help her, gently hold her hands together. Babies also suck on their hands; you can bring her hands to her mouth if she doesn't on her own. This is calming and organizing. This work to organize is important to the brain development, so your job is to help give her an environment that will allow her to do the work, create the neural pathways in her brain that will be the building blocks for later complex activity. That center line is key to later on development, so help her find it.”
I would suggest to you that when the baby has awake time it would be a good time to unswaddle them and allow them or guide them to putting their hands to their face. However, when they sleep they need to be swaddled for good, sound sleep.