The Máxima Medical Center (MMC) in Veldhoven has a worldwide first. In the coming months, it will conduct a trial in which premature babies will be monitored wirelessly, the hospital said announced on Tuesday. The heart rate and breathing of about fifty babies are measured for ten days with a wireless strap, the so-called Bambi Belt, which replaces the traditionally used adhesive electrodes.
The belt should remove stress and discomfort caused by the electrodes for both parents and child. The electrodes commonly used are stuck directly to the delicate skin of a premature baby and can cause pain. “This innovation means more comfort for newborns, no skin irritation and no disruption of sleep,” says Heidi van de Mortel, neonatology nurse at the MMC. “Babies can move without pain and stress with the Bambi Belt, which contributes to positive development.”
The Bambi Belt also makes it easier for parents to remove their newborn from the incubator and cuddle them without hoses and cords getting in the way. The belt sits around the waist of the premature child and, according to the hospital in Veldhoven, uses “advanced sensor technology”. In the pilot, which will take place in the coming months, the hospital wants to investigate how the belt works in daily practice.