A Basic Study on Palm Contact Pressure to Support a Head of Newborn Baby while Bathing

Abstract

This study focused on basic research for establishing a method of teaching bathing techniques to beginners. By analyzing the palm contact pressure of a midwife supporting the head of a newborn baby, this study aimed to clarify how an experienced person uses their hands. The subjects were five right-handed qualified midwives aged 34 to 46 years with 5 years or longer of continuous experiences in bathing newborns. To evaluate the contact between the subject and the bathing doll, a sheet-type body pressure distribution measurement system (BIG-MAT2000 by Nitta Corp.) was used. The subject held the bathing doll in both hands at the bosom and places the bathing doll into the bathtub using the left hand only. These actions were classified into the double-hand holding and single-hand holding patterns. Each action was measured for 6 seconds five times in a row. Of these measurements, two measurement results that were comparatively free from noise were adopted as measurement data. Pressure distribution on the entire palm at bathing indicated three-point support in both the double-hand holding and single-hand holding patterns, as reported in an earlier study.