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In 1997 my first son was born. By the time he was 6
weeks old he was diagnosed as being colic. It was difficult as a first time
parent to work fruitlessly trying to consol my infant son as he cried
incessantly for hours on end.
I read all the literature I could find about colic
in babies and concluded that no one seemed to know why it happened. There were
some findings showing that colic may be linked to excessive gas but nothing
was conclusive. Also my son’s situation seemed to be far removed from an issue
with gas. His colicky bouts of crying were most intense when he woke up or
when he was about to fall asleep not after he nursed.
About 4 weeks into his colic, I introduced a soft
blanket with a satin trim into his sleep routine. I immediately started to
notice a difference in the degree of intensity of his crying. Then I used the
soft satin part of the blanket and gently rubbed it on his cheek to help him
go to sleep and when he began to wake from sleep. The affect was remarkable.
Although my son continued to be colic for another 8 weeks I felt like I had
found some solution that offered him some degree of comfort.
After my son’s colic phase was over. I continued to
use the technique of rubbing satin on his cheek to help him sleep. It would
put him to sleep within minutes. By the time he could hold onto the blanket
himself, he used it against the palms of his hands in circular motions to lull
himself to sleep.
It wasn’t until the year 2001 after I started a
company that produced and sold satin-based products for children, that I
realized that there might be a bigger connection between soft textured baby
items and the well being it exhibits in children. A doctor of Pediatric
Medical Emergency on the East Coast bought some of satin blankets from my
company. She made me aware of some research conducted into the care of sick
and premature infants. The research includes a type of care called Kangaroo
Care.
Kangaroo Care began in 1983 in Bogota Colombia by
neonatologists Edgar Rey and Hector Martinez. Kangaroo Care was used with
premature infants by placing the infants in an upright position on a parent’s
bare chest, in between the breasts, tummy to tummy. The baby’s ear is
positioned above the parent’s heart. With the use of Kangaroo Care the infant
mortality rate fell from 70% to 30%. Kangaroo Care continued to be studied
since 1983 and has shown to have a major positive impact on babies.
In 1999 researchers began to conclude that colic is
caused by a baby’s inability to transition from one sleep state to another.
Excess crying during transitions causes the gas associated from colic. A study
done by Patricia Messmer, et al, in 1997 found a significant increase in sleep
time for neonates with Kangaroo Care. The skin-to-skin affect of Kangaroo Care
has been proven to reduce crying and help the baby learn to transition from
one sleep state to another.
It was suggested to me by the doctor of Pediatric
Emergency that soft textures such as satin might provide a psychological link
to feel of skin. Soft textures may have a similar affect as Kangaroo Care does
on ill, premature and colicky babies when skin-to-skin care may not be
possible. I know that at least in my own situation with a colicky infant that
the feel of soft, silky satin did provide a marked degree of comfort for him.
Currently I am searching for a medical fellow who may be interested in
conducting some research possibly in a neonatal ward, using satin sheets in
the incubators instead of the scratching cotton sheets and seeing if there is
any significant improvement of recovery rate. I believe there will be.
For more information on Kangaroo Care visit:
http://www.geocities.com/roopage/.
About the Author:
Karrie Lace is a California native and Northern California resident. Shortly
after the birth of her first son in 1997 she started the Little Pumpkin
Company. The Little Pumpkin Company produces a line of traditional satin based
baby gifts including Classic satin blankets, Heirloom satin blankets and satin
toddler pillows. She now has 2 sons ages 3-1/2 and 5 years old. Her web site
is
www.littlepumpkincompany.com
Other Helpful
Articles:
NOTE: The article above titled "The
Importance of Smooth Textures for the Well Being of Infants and Children" was provided by a
visitor to "The New Parents Guide" and is the opinion of its author
Karrie Lace. "The New Parents Guide" does not guarantee the information to
be factual. Always use the guidance of your child's doctor
over information you read on this site or elsewhere; your doctor knows what is
best for your baby.
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