Soothability and Growth in Preterm Infants

Purpose: This randomized control trial investigated the relationship between soothability, weight gain, and length of hospital stay in premature infants. Method: Forty-eight preterm infants were randomized into control group or flaxseed pillow treatment group. The pillow group received two 15-minute treatments per day. Treatment consisted of placing a flaxseed-filled pillow on the infants’ upper thorax, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, for the infant’s first 5 days of life. Physiologic measurements were obtained pre- and posttreatment, including temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and pain scores and measures of physical activity. Findings: Infants in the treatment group demonstrated significant decreases in heart rate, respiratory rate, and pain scores compared to infants in the control group. Infants in the treatment group also gained more weight in the first 3 weeks of life and spent more time awake. Discharge weights and length of stay at hospital did not vary between the two groups. Conclusions: The flaxseed pillow is a new method that may assist premature infants to become more soothable and gain weight more rapidly in the first weeks of life. The pillow is inexpensive, easy to use, and not associated with adverse events. Further research is recommended to explore the efficacy of this intervention in other populations.