RESUMO
Swaddling is a common baby care practice, there are some benefits and some complications. The aim of this study is to see the effect of tight swaddling on pulmonary functions in infants under mechanical ventilation. Pulmonary functions were studied before and after tight swaddling in fifteen patients in the intensive care unit at Babylon Maternity and Children Hospital while they were on ventilator from January 2006 till January 2007 and the results were checked statistically by Paired t-test. The commonest diseases linked to the study were apnoea and birth asphyxia. Expiratory minute volume and expiratory tidal volume were the most commonly affected pulmonary functions by tight swaddling.The statistical difference was highly significant, [p<0.001]. Oxygen saturation was not significantly affected, [p>0.05].Tight swaddling has its deleterious effects on pulmonary functions