Touch: The Foundation of Infant Growth and Bonding Essay examples -- P

Touch: The Foundation of Infant Growth and Bonding A premature infant is defined by Whaley & Wong’s Nursing Care of Infants and Children as "any infant born before completion of 37 weeks of gestation, regardless of birth weight." (Wong, p. 1999, p.392) Many premature infants are also considered high risk neonates because the major activities of life, including thermoregulation, respiration and digestion, cannot fully function at their time of birth. This poses a problem for both the health professionals and the parents of the infant. The health professionals must closely monitor this vulnerable infant and, in most situations, assist the infant in thermoregulation, respiration, and feeding while the cautious, nervous parents look on, concerned about their child’s progress. The parent or parents often feel removed from their child’s care as another adult cares for their child’s every need. Infant stimulation can be as subtle and slight as touch of the infant’s arm or as much as skin to skin contact th rough holding. Touch actively involves the parents in the their child’s care and has proven to be beneficial for improving the vulnerable, tiny infant’s condition. Parents, as well as medical professionals, should be encouraged to touch these vulnerable tiny infants as much as, if not more than, they would touch a full term infant. Despite their low birth weight, tiny size and vulnerable condition, these infants should be held, caressed and cuddled with as often as possible. The experience of birth for a mother of a premature infant varies drastically from the birth of a normal full term infant because of the lack of infant stimulation or even sight of her newly born child. Peggy, a mother of newly born premature infant states "... ...tion and interaction, medical professionals need to calm the parents and encourage interaction with their child. What better way is there for interaction than touch? References Manginello M.D., Frank P., & Foy DiGeronimo M.D., Theresa. (1991). Your Premature Baby New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Gorski M.D., Peter, & Huntington Ph.D., Lee & Lewkowicz Ph.D., David J. (1987). Handling Preterm Infants in Hospitals: Stimulating Controversy about Timing Stimulation. In Infant Stimulation For Whom, What Kind, When and How Much? (pp. 43-51) (no place of publication): Johnson & Johnson Baby Products. Co. Wong, Donna L. (1999). Whaley and Wong’s Nursing Care of Infants and Children. St. Louis: Mosby, Inc. Ludington-Hoe Ph.D., Susan M., & Golant, Susan K. (1993). Kangaroo Care: The Best You Can Do to Help Your Preterm Infant. New York: Bantam Books, Inc.