Preterm neonates experience pain with various procedures within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
(NICU). Significant evidence proves that controlling the neonatal pain is beneficial in improving
physiological, behavioral, and hormonal outcomes. Thus, it is reasonable to manage preterm
neonates' pain by incorporating innovative non-pharmacological pain interventions that will help
those neonates to cope with stressful situations. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the
effect of mothers' heartbeats combined with swaddling technique on Orogastric Tube (OGT)
insertion pain among preterm neonates. Research Design: A quasi- experimental research design
was used. Setting: The study was conducted at the NICU of Damanhour National Medical
Institute, Damanhour City, Al-Behira Governorate, Egypt. Subjects: A convenience sampling of
60 preterm neonates comprised the study subjects. Those neonates were equally divided into a study
group (listened to mothers' heartbeats combined with swaddling technique in addition to routine
NICU care) and a control group (received NICU routine care only). Tools: Two tools were used to
collect necessary data, namely, Characteristics and Medical History of Preterm Neonates, and
Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP). Results: During OGT insertion, the pain score recorded for
80.0% of preterm neonates in the study group was less than or equal 6 which entails that OGT
insertion did not cause pain. At the same time, 50.0% of those in the control group had slight to
moderate pain as they obtained 7-12 pain score. Moreover, the mean PIPP score was 5±1.92 among
preterm neonates in the study group compared to 9±3.43 among those in the control group and the
difference was statistically significant where P=0.000. Immediately after OGT insertion, 93.3% of
preterm neonates in the study group perceived no pain compared to 66.7% of those in the control
group. Furthermore, the mean PIPP score reduced to 4.5±2.61 in the study group compared to
6±7.55 in the control group with a statistically significant difference (P= 0.000). Conclusion: It can
be concluded that mothers' heartbeats combined with swaddling technique were effective in
reducing preterm neonates' feeling with pain during and immediately after OGT insertion.
Recommendation: mothers' heartbeats combined with swaddling technique should be incorporated
in the NICU policies and the written guidelines concerning painful procedures.