Every day, countless premature babies begin their lives weeks or even months too early. Because of being born at an early gestational age, the diminutive size of the neonate, coupled with medical problems, creates some unique clothing needs. Hospitals often have difficulty meeting these clothing needs due to budget constraints and general unavailability of the miniature sized and specially adapted clothing. This research used the functional design process as the conceptual framework to design and evaluate clothing for the premature infant in the intensive care setting. Six design criteria were identified from which specifications were developed and their interrelationships explored through an interaction matrix. Prototype garments were evaluated by caregivers in the neonatal intensive care setting in two hospitals. Results indicate that there is a definite need for clothing in a range of sizes with special adaptations for the premature infant in the intensive care setting.

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