Co-Bedding as a Comfort Measure for Twins Undergoing Painful Procedures

A rising number of preterm twins, at high risk of undergoing repeated medical procedures often without adequate pain relief, are being admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Skin-to-skin contact between mothers and their infants during painful procedures has been shown to decrease pain and help them stabilize more quickly afterwards. The main question of this study is whether the contact of a twin could provide a similar form of comfort. Sixty-four twin pairs will have an equal chance of undergoing a medically necessary heel stick while being cared for together (co-bedding) or separately. Primary outcome will be physiologic and behavioral pain response. If found to be beneficial, changes to neonatal care practices to include co-bedding may help twins tolerate and recover from painful procedures. Findings will help care providers make recommendations for at risk twins experiencing procedural pain and add to existing theoretical models with respect to the exact mechanism of comfort through touch.