What is a common method to maintain warmth in preterm infants in a NICU setting?

Using heated blankets is a common method to maintain warmth in preterm infants in a NICU setting. Preterm infants have limited subcutaneous fat and are at a higher risk for hypothermia due to their immature thermoregulatory systems. The application of heated blankets can provide a consistent and controlled source of warmth, helping to stabilize the infant's body temperature effectively.

While direct contact with parents and skin-to-skin contact techniques (often referred to as kangaroo care) are indeed beneficial for thermoregulation, they may not always be feasible in all situations or provide the same level of temperature control as heated blankets. Instead, these techniques are more about promoting bonding and physiological stability rather than strictly maintaining warmth through direct heating.

Placing a preterm infant in a standard cradle does not support thermal stability effectively, as standard cradles do not typically provide the necessary warmth that preterm infants require, which could result in decreased body temperature. Therefore, heated blankets are a widely accepted and practical intervention used specifically to address the crucial need for temperature regulation in this vulnerable population.