Strategies to protect sleep.

Sleep is a very important element for the development of a premature newborn, because it helps in creating good clinical condition, good weight gain, mastering full oral feeding and improving parent-infant relationship as well. Moreover, the development of a correct sleeping-awaking pattern is a key factor for the development of the brain. To protect sleep is important to modify the environment, for example, reducing noise levels, creating period of semi darkness and protecting infant face from direct light. To obtain this, individualized care, based on infant behavioural cues, becomes fundamental, requiring a change in daily assistance that should become more relationship-oriented. It is also fundamental to foster the presence of parents because it helps the baby to feel more protected and allows him to relax.