FLAXSEED PILLOWS HELP PREMATURE BABIES GAIN WEIGHT FASTER

Most humans have a natural response towards babies to try to soothe them when they are distressed. Premature infants are typically placed into warming incubators that are about as dissimilar to a mother’s arms as anything else one could imagine. A recent study looked at potential methods to improve soothing of these infants and how that might affect weight gain in the early weeks of life.

This randomized controlled trial tested 48 pre-term babies. The treatment group were given a flaxseed-filled pillow once in the morning and once in the afternoon for a period of fifteen minutes each session for the first 5 days of life. The researchers measured heart rate, breathing rate, physical activity, weight, and pain scores.

The findings showed that the infants who received the pillow treatments had lower heart rates (less stressed), lower respiratory rates, and lower pain scores compared to those babies who did not get such treatment. Additionally, weight gain was significantly more in the babies who had the pillows than the ones who did not.

The researchers concluded that the flaxseed pillows contributed to the “soothability” in these premature babies. This form of treatment is very safe, easy to use, cheap and was associated with improved weight gain in these babies. While further research would be helpful with regard to the use of this type of pillow, more “human” approaches to soothing may be a more powerful intervention for these high risk babies.