Dutch hospital first to test wireless belt to monitor premature babies' vitals
The Maxima Medical Center in Veldhoven is the first hospital in the world to start a trial with a wireless belt that monitors premature babies’ heart rates and breathing. The Bambi Belt eliminates the need to tape electrodes on the babies’ sensitive skin. It can also be less stressful for parents not to see their baby covered in wires, NOS reports.
An additional advantage of the wireless belt is that the baby is no longer tethered to devices, making it easier for parents and caregivers to lift the child out of the incubator. It also makes skin-to-skin contact between parents and baby easier.
The Dutch hospital will mainly look at the added value of the Bambi Belt in healthcare. “We know that the Bambi Belt can reliably measure heart activity and breathing pauses. Now we are going to test how this works in the daily care for caregivers and parents,” project leader Heidi van Mortel said.
A system with flexible wireless sensors already existed, but these sensors still have to be taped to the child’s body.
