The micro‐environment of the sleeping newborn piglet covered by bedclothes: Gas exchange and temperature

Abstract This study followed the thermal and gaseous micro‐environment of the newborn piglet sleeping under two levels of bedding insulation. After 1 h in the piglet's thermal comfort zone, the head of each piglet was covered for 2h with bedding either 12 mm or 21 mm thick. Body temperature rose rapidly, but the arterial gases showed no change in the direction of asphyxia; with the thicker covering Pa o2 was unchanged and Pa o2 fell and pH rose. These changes were despite a small rise in environmental Pa o2 and fall in Pa o2 but were also minimized by the piglet's ability to avoid profound hypocapnia by panting at a very low tidal volume. No significant changes in blood gases occurred with the thinner bedding; the temperature rose markedly but more slowly. It is suggested that human babies submerged under bedclothes for any length of time would be more likely to succumb to the effects of hyperthermia than of asphyxia.