BIO

My name is Emma Gassman, and I'm a freshman studying biological science on the Pre-Med track. I'm from Deerfield, Illinois, a suburb just north of Chicago! I'm interested in pursuing a career in medicine, possibly in the area of women's health or a pediatrics specialty. My research interests include areas of women's health, such as maternal care and lactation, alongside the workings of global and American healthcare systems, cognitive neuroscience, and epidemiology. Aside from UROP, I'm involved with some other organizations on campus, such as the women's club soccer team, the American Medical Women's Association (AMWA), and the Medical Response Unit.

Exploring Apparel Options for NICU Mothers: Development of a Nursing and Kangaroo Care Garment System

Abstract

Kangaroo Care and breastfeeding are important steps in a mother’s postpartum journey with her infant. There are numerous physical and psychological benefits to both the mother and infant when initiating this type of care. In the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), these benefits are even more important as NICU infants often require extra medical intervention to become healthy, and these interventions can sometimes isolate them from the mother. When facilitating this care, mothers sometimes struggle due to the infant’s more fragile state. Few garments exist to help facilitate both breastfeeding and kangaroo care for premature infants. To understand the aspects such a garment would require, we researched current products on the market and compared them to past research conducted on breastfeeding and kangaroo care. From this data, we designed a prototype garment via the 4 stage design process. This process included the problem identification, conceptualization, prototype, and solution of a garment. We then constructed this final garment based on the user needs we concluded were most important: compression fabric with the ability to stretch, temperature cooling, durability and weight bearing, adjustable sizing, access to breasts, and compatibility with medical devices. By creating an easy-to-use breastfeeding and kangaroo care garment, more mothers will take part in this important postpartum step, improving the physical and emotional health of future generations of mothers and their infants.

Keywords: NICU, breastfeeding, apparel