Have you been bagging babies?

We cover in a saran blanket, and also use these new gel warmers for trassport and ntil we get out temps stable. They are like a one time use heel warmer, but about 2 feet long (give or take). All you do is break the disk inside and they get warm fast. We have noticed a big difference in our temps since using them

Hope this helps

Yes, we have started the "baby in a bag" within the last year. It is usually for babies under 31 weeks or so and they are not dried off prior to being put in the bag. We also use the transwarmer which basically is a very large heel warmer and it is placed under the baby. We have seen good results with these interventions.

Do you get sterile plastic bags to take to the table at a C section??? We only have non-sterile bags, so receive the baby into a sterile towel and try to quickly transfer to a bag. Have found it still works in keeping temp up, so long as they are not dried off in the towel first. Kinda goes against everything you learn on your NALS course though, doesn't it? Taking the baby off the wet towel etc! I agree that its more difficult to gain access for lines etc, but the bag tends to stick to the baby and you can cut a small slit at the umbilicus to get lines in. Still put wooly hat on the babe to conserve heat from the head. we take off the bag when the babe is in the incubator, and dep on age/weight/condition, when humidity/ optimum temp is reached. thats just here, I know others will be different. Interesting thread btw!

I do think it's a good idea; cut holes to access arms and legs, one for the umbi lines--@ least it keeps the evaporative heat loss down a little because it's intact over most of the trunk.

You can either use those special sterile bags you use for abdominal wall defects, or even a new, clean zip-lock--I don't think they have any bacteria in them on the inside.

prmenrs..do you know where to get the sterile bags?? would be such a help!

I do think it's a good idea; cut holes to access arms and legs, one for the umbi lines--@ least it keeps the evaporative heat loss down a little because it's intact over most of the trunk.

That's the thing. Not only is the head out, but now there are 5 holes in the bag too. And we have used the big warmer packs.

Maybe I haven't gone to enough micro deliveries to notice a difference in admission temps. But I am still seeing admission temps of 97 degrees and the docs are just aggravated by the lack of access and visualization from a smeared up bag.:uhoh21:

We used to use the turkey bags, but got new ones and the brand escapes me..

We've had the bags, probably for the last year or so. They come packaged, I believe they are sterile until opened. I'm on vacation now, but when I go back on Sunday night I will try to remember to look and see who makes them. We use them for babies under 1 kg. They have made a big difference in admission temps. We will cut a hole in them for access for lines if needed, or at least use them until we can get back from the DR and onto a prewarmed bed with a K-pad.

We have the sterile bags, I'll check the brand when I go to work tonight. We use them on babies we know will be less than about 28 weeks. Even though they're sterile, we don't put the baby into them until he or she is on the warmer in the delivery room - we're a teaching hospital and the residents are the ones who the OB hands the baby to and sometimes they're scared enough that we don't want them dealing with a slippery baby AND a slippery plastic bag!!! We'll put them in the bag up to their necks, put a cotton preemie-sized hat on, and then put a porta-warmer under them. Once admitted to the NICU, we'll keep them in the bag until it's time to place lines, then we'll remove it and cover the baby with sterile towels, keeping the baby laying on the porta-warmer. Usually they don't drop their temps too much, and as soon as the lines are in we cover the whole bed with plastic and start up the humidity or get them into an isolette.

I personally find that the porta-warmers (gel packs) keep the babies warm whether or not we use a bag.

We have been using saran wrap, but there is a push to start using bags since the new NRP guidelines came out. I can see our docs having a problem with this too.

We started putting babies less than 800g in plastic bags at deliveries for a couple of years.I honestly didn't notice a difference in tempetures and now some MDs are telling us not to because we can't get good access to the pt unless we rip holes in the bag and what's the point?

How are others doing with this?

"Have you been bagging babies" And "we started putting babies less than 800g in plastic bags at deliveries For a couple of years" ,really caught my attention, not being a "baby nurse" of any kind!!! Learn something new every day !!!!

We are still using saran wrap but I love the thought of the bags. We also place saran wrap on the baby's scalp before placing a warm hat on top. We also use the Transwarmer (giant, long lasting, heelwarmer type of thing) mattress during transport from the delivery room to the NICU and the baby usually stays on the Transwarmer for an hour or so after being in the NICU; they stay warm quite a long time.