Premature Babies

How can the Amby Baby Motion Bed help premature babies thrive?

Preemie babies crave environments that mimic the time they missed in the womb. That’s why holding preemie babies much of the day, “wearing” them in a baby sling or other carrier, and sleeping close to baby are all crucial to helping a preemie baby thrive. The Amby can be an extension of this womb-like environment when baby is laid down for naps, for bedtime, or even awake time. The warm, snuggled feeling along with gentle motion give baby the feeling that she is still being carried.

Here are a variety of ways that preemies can benefit from the Amby:

It is a continuum of the womb environment. The Amby bed gently moves baby both up and down and side to side, creating the same simultaneous bouncing and swinging motion that baby experienced while inside the womb and when carried in your arms. This gives baby a better sense of well-being and contentment when left unattended.

It prevents acid reflux. It keeps baby in a slightly upright angle to prevent the regurgitation of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. The Amby minimizes painful acid heartburn and reduces the amount of milk your baby spits up.

It may reduce Apnea and Bradycardia (long pauses in breathing and slowed heart rate). One of the most common causes of Apnea and Bradycardia is acid reflux, which irritates baby’s breathing passage and triggers Apnea spells.

It may help baby grow faster. Baby fusses less so he can use more of his energy for growth. Baby also spits up less milk so he has more to grow on.

It may reduce the need for medication. Apnea and Bradycardia spells and GERD often require medication to keep under control. Since the Amby can minimize these problems, baby may need less medication.

It continues Kangaroo Care when you are not there. Research has demonstrated how Kangaroo Care (holding baby skin to skin much of the day) benefits babies. Nothing helps baby thrive better than being held skin to skin in your arms. But when you can’t be there, the Amby is the next best thing to give your baby a womb-like environment to thrive in.

Premature NICU babies find sleep in Amby hammock

Nurses at a Minnesota hospital find an invaluable resource in the Amby Baby Motion Bed for fussy premature infants

Walk into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in any hospital and you’ll hear the cries of inconsolable premature babies. This is a result of the any number of ailments premature babies suffer from, requiring the patience and expertise of the nurses who tend to them daily.

Among them is Sharon McDurmot, an RN who has worked in a Minneapolis-area NICU for 25 years. McDurmot deals daily with preemies suffering from everything from drug withdrawal to infections. These illnesses often leave the small infants in a constant fussy state. Fortunately, the nurses in this NICU have discovered a bed that can sooth even the most fussy and sick preemie.

“If I have a baby I cannot calm any other way, I use the Amby hammock,” McDurmot said. “We have used it quite a bit on very crabby babies. I love it… it works very well for these babies.”

About premature deliveries
Newborns are considered to be premature if they are born before they are 37 weeks old. Although there are many risk factors that can help to predict which pregnancies are at risk for premature delivery, in most cases, no direct cause is found.

The more mature your baby is at birth, the more likely that it is that he will not have any problems, so that babies born at 26-29 weeks have a much better chance of complete recovery or with mild to moderate ailments. Babies born at 30-33 weeks usually do even better, and after 34 weeks, babies are usually only mildly immature and usually do very well.
Common ailments for premature babies include various infections, jaundice, heart defects, cleft palate, and various respiratory problems including apnea and reflux.

How the Amby Motion Bed helps
The nurses said the Amby Baby Motion Bed is very effective in treating the many respiratory problems premature babies suffer from. The incline of hammock-style bed can be adjusted to suit the baby’s needs, making it easier for them to breath and sleep. In addition, the womb-like rocking motion of the hammock has also been used to sooth babies suffering from abdominal cramping which occurs after undergoing common surgeries.