Thermoregulation

Welcome to episode three of The Premie Podcast, where NICU nurses Catriona and Taylor discuss the essential topic of thermoregulation in the neonatal unit. This episode provides vital information on how to maintain temperature stability for premature and sick infants, crucial for their growth and development.

Learn about the primary ways newborns can become cold—evaporation, conduction, convection, and radiation—and discover how these heat losses can be prevented. Highlighting differences between term and preterm infants, the importance of maintaining a stable body temperature is emphasised to avoid stress and ensure healthy development.

The episode covers methods used in the NICU, including the use of incubators, heated mattresses, and skin-to-skin contact, often referred to as kangaroo care, which supports thermoregulation. Join Catriona and Taylor as they explore various aspects of keeping babies warm, the transitions from incubator to cot, and the crucial involvement of parents in this process.