Infant Warmer 'Embrace Nest' Protects Low-Birth-Weight Babies

Infant Warmer 'Embrace Nest' for Low-Birth Weight Babies: The Embrace Nest can replace traditional incubators

Here in the United States, we don’t have to worry about infant mortality on nearly the level that Third World countries do. Sure, we still have a fair number of babies born prematurely that require extra care, but we have the facilities and the equipment to deal with most any situation that arises. But that isn’t the case everywhere. Even in America there are people that live in remote areas where travel is prohibitive and facilities are far and few between. Now, a company called Embrace has “developed a low-cost and energy-efficient infant warmer, which addresses the key challenge of preventing hypothermia for infants with low birth weight in developing countries.”

Embrace Nest Infant Warmer

Premature babies and low-weight infants usually require incubators to help them thrive or even survive. The Embrace Nest Infant Warmer looks just like a miniature sleeping bag constructed for babies, but it incorporates phase change material within the body of it. That material is capable of maintaining a “constant, clinically ideal temperature for up to 6 hours.” Unlike traditional incubators seen in hospitals, the Embrace Nest allows physical contact between a mother and child, “promoting the development of a strong maternal bond.” The best part about this intuitive device is that can be sterilized and reused and, if need be, repaired locally.

The 'Embrace Nest' Infant Warming Sack: Embrace Nest gives prrmies and low-birth weight babies a chance at survival

Low-Birth Weight & Premature Babies

The empowering people Network noted that, “Approximately 15 million babies are born prematurely every year, not completing the 37 weeks of gestation, with numbers rising (WHO). According to a study conducted by the US organization March of Dimes, over one million of these premature babies die each year before completing their first month. Over 85% of all premature births take place in developing countries. 75% of these children could be saved if the simplest methods were employed, such as for example keeping the infants warm the first few days after their birth.”

Infant Incubators

The design of the Embrace Nest Infant Warmer incorporates a wax-like phase change material or PCM that, after being heated for approximately 25 minutes via an electric heater, ensures babies remain in clinically approved temps for up to six hours. The clever engineering of the bag minimizes the loss of heat from the PCM into its surroundings. While the electric heater does require access intermittently to an AC power source, it can also be operated off a generator or any alternate AC power source that’s available. A newer version of the Embrace Nest — which is heated by boiling water, making it suitable for more remote and resource-poor areas — is currently in the testing phase.

The Embrace Nest Infant Warming Sack: For use with preemies & low-birth weight babies in developing countries

Social Impact

The Embrace Infant Warmer is designed in such a way as to complement what’s known as Kangaroo Mother Care, the practice of providing warmth through skin-to-skin contact. Because it allows new mothers to breastfeed and offers them the flexibility to work, tend to family needs and to perform other important daily tasks, a device like this could ultimately save millions of tiny lives over time, and the cost would be negligible as compared to hospitalization -- if that were even a choice for many people. Large hospitals in developing countries are often inadequately equipped with working incubators. This invention has the potential for positive social impact on a global level and will hopefully receive support for worldwide distribution very soon.