Practising developmentally supportive care during infant bathing: reducing stress through swaddle bathing

Although bathing is widely accepted within society to be stressful for the healthy newborn, there is minimal research into the physiological and behavioural impact it has on vulnerable preterm infants. Developmental care strategies encourage nursing staff to adapt the extra-uterine environment to reduce infant stress and promote overall stability. This article highlights the benefits of swaddle bathing in reducing stress and encourages considerations towards it becoming common practice for improving patient care.