Neonatal intensive care units are marvels of medical technology that have saved the lives of countless infants born too early or weighing too little. Nevertheless, life in a NICU can be very stressful to a newborn. Twenty-four-hour exposure to light, loud noises from various alarms and medical machinery, the irritating smell of disinfectants and adhesives can rattle the newborn’s still-developing nervous system, triggering multiple internal alarms. As if that weren’t bad enough, studies have found that hospitalized neonates undergo an average of 10to 14 painful-yet-necessary medical procedures a day — usually without a reassuring touch from Mom or Dad to soothe them.