Babywearing in the NICU: a new way to bond without using your arms
NCT ID NCT07142564
First seen Jul 20, 2026 · Last updated Jul 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study compares babywearing (using a carrier to hold the baby against the caregiver's chest) with traditional skin-to-skin care for stable infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Researchers will measure heart rate, temperature, oxygen levels, and brain activity to see if carrier care is as safe and effective. The goal is to offer families a more flexible option for close contact that can be done in public settings.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- babywearing using an infant carrier device
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could offer families a practical alternative to skin-to-skin care that allows longer, more public contact with their hospitalized baby.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small early-phase study, so results may not apply to all NICU babies. The intervention may not prove as beneficial as traditional skin-to-skin care.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Early phase 1
The earliest testing in people: a first look at safety, in a very small group.
- Participants
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About 100 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Sep 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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Up to 9 months
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Neonates who: * are admitted to the hospital * who have an estimated length of stay equal to or greater than fifteen (15) days * weighing greater than or equal to 1800 grams at the time of enrollment * that are medically stable (free of significant apnea, bradycardia, or desaturations) within the past 48 hours Exclusion Criteria: * infants who require oxygen therapy or positive pressure respiratory support * infants who have central intravenous lines (e.g., Broviac or peripherally inserted central catheter) * caregivers who are prisoners * caregivers who cannot read or speak English
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.