Rocking table to stimulate breathing of premature babies - uses pneumatic bellows to rock table at electronically controlled rate to stimulate maternal breathing

摘要

The breathing of premature babies is stimulated by placing them on a flat surface which rocks slightly at a frequency of 15 to 20 oscillations per minute to simulate the maternal breathing rhythm as seen by the foetus. The rocking table (7) is pivoted (9) near its centre and is raised by a bellows (11) and falls under gravity. The filling and emptying of air from the lifting bellows (11) is controlled by a solenoid valve (12) An air pump (25) supplies an air reservoir (26). Air is drawn from both pump and reservoir and passes through safety and alarm devices (S,A) which signal irregularities in pressure or flow of air to the bellows. An adjustable electric oscillator (1A), which controls the rate of operation of the solenoid valve, allows various rocking rates to be set.