Baby It's Cold Outside: Effectiveness of Skin to Skin in Preventing Hypothermia in Low Birth Weight Infants

Abstract

Heat regulation of a newborn is one of the most critical needs for survival. Fetal temperature before birth is dependent on the mother. As soon as the neonate is delivered, he/she has to thermoregulate.Thermoregulation is the ability to maintain a normal core body temperature by balancing the amount of heat lost and the amount of heat produced by the body (Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, & Alden, 2016). If the neonate is unable to thermoregulate, he/she will soon become hypothermic and if not corrected will progress to cold stress where “anaerobic glycolysis occurs, resulting in increased production of acid”, leading to metabolic acidosis and hypoglycemia. (Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, & Alden, 2016). Unless action is taken, the baby may die. Immediate skin to skin contact following birth is known to have many benefits. Skin to skin contact, is defined by Centers for Disease Control (2018) as, “placing newborns skin-to-skin with their mothers immediately after birth, with no bedding or clothing between them.” The purpose of this Evidence Based Practice Brief is to evaluate the efficacy of immediate skin to skin care in preventing hypothermia in low birth weight infants compared to those who do not receive such treatment. The results of this brief will provide nurses who work with neonates the best evidence for their practice at preventing hypothermia in low birth weight infants. Heat regulation of a newborn is one of the most critical needs for survival. Fetal temperature before birth is dependent on the mother. As soon as the neonate is delivered, he/she has to thermoregulate.Thermoregulation is the ability to maintain a normal core body temperature by balancing the amount of heat lost and the amount of heat produced by the body (Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, & Alden, 2016). If the neonate is unable to thermoregulate, he/she will soon become hypothermic and if not corrected will progress to cold stress where “anaerobic glycolysis occurs, resulting in increased production of acid”, leading to metabolic acidosis and hypoglycemia. (Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, & Alden, 2016). Unless action is taken, the baby may die. Immediate skin to skin contact following birth is known to have many benefits. Skin to skin contact, is defined by Centers for Disease Control (2018) as, “placing newborns skin-to-skin with their mothers immediately after birth, with no bedding or clothing between them.” The purpose of this Evidence Based Practice Brief is to evaluate the efficacy of immediate skin to skin care in preventing hypothermia in low birth weight infants compared to those who do not receive such treatment. The results of this brief will provide nurses who work with neonates the best evidence for their practice at preventing hypothermia in low birth weight infants. Heat regulation of a newborn is one of the most critical needs for survival. Fetal temperature before birth is dependent on the mother. As soon as the neonate is delivered, he/she has to thermoregulate.Thermoregulation is the ability to maintain a normal core body temperature by balancing the amount of heat lost and the amount of heat produced by the body (Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, & Alden, 2016). If the neonate is unable to thermoregulate, he/she will soon become hypothermic and if not corrected will progress to cold stress where “anaerobic glycolysis occurs, resulting in increased production of acid”, leading to metabolic acidosis and hypoglycemia. (Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, & Alden, 2016). Unless action is taken, the baby may die. Immediate skin to skin contact following birth is known to have many benefits. Skin to skin contact, is defined by Centers for Disease Control (2018) as, “placing newborns skin-to-skin with their mothers immediately after birth, with no bedding or clothing between them.” The purpose of this Evidence Based Practice Brief is to evaluate the efficacy of immediate skin to skin care in preventing hypothermia in low birth weight infants compared to those who do not receive such treatment. The results of this brief will provide nurses who work with neonates the best evidence for their practice at preventing hypothermia in low birth weight infants. Heat regulation of a newborn is one of the most critical needs for survival. Fetal temperature before birth is dependent on the mother. As soon as the neonate is delivered, he/she has to thermoregulate.Thermoregulation is the ability to maintain a normal core body temperature by balancing the amount of heat lost and the amount of heat produced by the body (Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, & Alden, 2016). If the neonate is unable to thermoregulate, he/she will soon become hypothermic and if not corrected will progress to cold stress where “anaerobic glycolysis occurs, resulting in increased production of acid”, leading to metabolic acidosis and hypoglycemia. (Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, & Alden, 2016). Unless action is taken, the baby may die. Immediate skin to skin contact following birth is known to have many benefits. Skin to skin contact, is defined by Centers for Disease Control (2018) as, “placing newborns skin-to-skin with their mothers immediately after birth, with no bedding or clothing between them.” The purpose of this Evidence Based Practice Brief is to evaluate the efficacy of immediate skin to skin care in preventing hypothermia in low birth weight infants compared to those who do not receive such treatment. The results of this brief will provide nurses who work with neonates the best evidence for their practice at preventing hypothermia in low birth weight infants. Heat regulation of a newborn is one of the most critical needs for survival. Fetal temperature before birth is dependent on the mother. As soon as the neonate is delivered, he/she has to thermoregulate.Thermoregulation is the ability to maintain a normal core body temperature by balancing the amount of heat lost and the amount of heat produced by the body (Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, & Alden, 2016). If the neonate is unable to thermoregulate, he/she will soon become hypothermic and if not corrected will progress to cold stress where “anaerobic glycolysis occurs, resulting in increased production of acid”, leading to metabolic acidosis and hypoglycemia. (Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, & Alden, 2016). Unless action is taken, the baby may die. Immediate skin to skin contact following birth is known to have many benefits. Skin to skin contact, is defined by Centers for Disease Control (2018) as, “placing newborns skin-to-skin with their mothers immediately after birth, with no bedding or clothing between them.” The purpose of this Evidence Based Practice Brief is to evaluate the efficacy of immediate skin to skin care in preventing hypothermia in low birth weight infants compared to those who do not receive such treatment. The results of this brief will provide nurses who work with neonates the best evidence for their practice at preventing hypothermia in low birth weight infants. Heat regulation of a newborn is one of the most critical needs for survival. Fetal temperature before birth is dependent on the mother. As soon as the neonate is delivered, he/she has to thermoregulate.Thermoregulation is the ability to maintain a normal core body temperature by balancing the amount of heat lost and the amount of heat produced by the body (Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, & Alden, 2016). If the neonate is unable to thermoregulate, he/she will soon become hypothermic and if not corrected will progress to cold stress where “anaerobic glycolysis occurs, resulting in increased production of acid”, leading to metabolic acidosis and hypoglycemia. (Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, & Alden, 2016). Unless action is taken, the baby may die. Immediate skin to skin contact following birth is known to have many benefits. Skin to skin contact, is defined by Centers for Disease Control (2018) as, “placing newborns skin-to-skin with their mothers immediately after birth, with no bedding or clothing between them.” The purpose of this Evidence Based Practice Brief is to evaluate the efficacy of immediate skin to skin care in preventing hypothermia in low birth weight infants compared to those who do not receive such treatment. The results of this brief will provide nurses who work with neonates the best evidence for their practice at preventing hypothermia in low birth weight infants. Heat regulation of a newborn is one of the most critical needs for survival. Fetal temperature before birth is dependent on the mother. As soon as the neonate is delivered, he/she has to thermoregulate.Thermoregulation is the ability to maintain a normal core body temperature by balancing the amount of heat lost and the amount of heat produced by the body (Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, & Alden, 2016). If the neonate is unable to thermoregulate, he/she will soon become hypothermic and if not corrected will progress to cold stress where “anaerobic glycolysis occurs, resulting in increased production of acid”, leading to metabolic acidosis and hypoglycemia. (Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, & Alden, 2016). Unless action is taken, the baby may die. Immediate skin to skin contact following birth is known to have many benefits. Skin to skin contact, is defined by Centers for Disease Control (2018) as, “placing newborns skin-to-skin with their mothers immediately after birth, with no bedding or clothing between them.” The purpose of this Evidence Based Practice Brief is to evaluate the efficacy of immediate skin to skin care in preventing hypothermia in low birth weight infants compared to those who do not receive such treatment. The results of this brief will provide nurses who work with neonates the best evidence for their practice at preventing hypothermia in low birth weight infants.