## 3 Results  
The mean T\({}_{\rm a}\) was 20.9 \(\pm\) 0.04 \({}^{\circ}\)C (mean \(\pm\) SD radiant temperature (T\({}_{\rm r}\)): 21.2 \(\pm\) 0.03 \({}^{\circ}\)C) or 25.9 \(\pm\) 0.09 \({}^{\circ}\)C (T\({}_{\rm r}\) = 26.2\({}^{\circ}\)\(\pm\) 0.05 \({}^{\circ}\)C). Depending on the experiment, the mean temperature of the mattress surface ranged from 35.35 \(\pm\) 0.61 \({}^{\circ}\)C to 35.92 \(\pm\) 0.57 \({}^{\circ}\)C. The mannequin's surface temperature was kept constant (between 34.34 \({}^{\circ}\)C and 34.39 \({}^{\circ}\)C) with an SD below 0.05 \({}^{\circ}\)C (i.e., lower than the measuring device's precision). T\({}_{\rm a}\) did not depend significantly on the covering condition (sheet vs. sheet + blanket) at 20.9 \({}^{\circ}\)C (_p_ = 0.698;  
Figure 2: Photographs of the mannequin covered with a sheet (**left panel**) or a sheet + blanket set (**right panel**). z = 0.387) or 25 \({}^{\circ}\)C (\(p\) = 0.462; z = 0.735). The same was true for T\({}_{\rm r}\) when T\({}_{\rm a}\) was 20.9 \({}^{\circ}\)C (\(p\) = 0.439; z = 0.775) or 25.9 \({}^{\circ}\)C (\(p\) = 0.462, z = 0.735). The fabric covering made it possible to establish a microclimate between the inner layer of fabric and the mattress surface (i.e., the simulated skin of the mother). With a T\({}_{\rm a}\) of 20.9 \({}^{\circ}\)C, the temperature under the covering was 22.75 \(\pm\) 0.24 \({}^{\circ}\)C with the sheet and 23.72 \(\pm\) 0.54 \({}^{\circ}\)C with the sheet + blanket. At 25.9 \({}^{\circ}\)C, the temperate was 27.25 \(\pm\) 0.31 \({}^{\circ}\)C with the sheet and 28.09 \(\pm\) 0.11 \({}^{\circ}\)C with the sheet + blanket. The variables characterizing the total thermal insulation provided by the covering (sheet or sheet + blanket) and clothing (cap and diaper) are listed in Table 1.  
The mannequin's measured dry heat losses (R + C + K) and the calculated respiratory and skin heat losses under the various experimental conditions and energy metabolism (M) values are summarized in Table 2.  
At a T\({}_{\rm a}\) of 20.9 \({}^{\circ}\)C, increasing the thermal insulation reduced dry heat loss by 16.7% (\(p\) = 0.0019, z = 0.775). At 25.9 \({}^{\circ}\)C, this reduction was 17.8% (\(p\) = 0.0143, z = 2.449) (Table 2). The World Health Organization recommends maintaining SSC for at least one hour after delivery. Our simulations indicated that with an internal body temperature of 37 \({}^{\circ}\)C at birth, normothermia was estimated at a T\({}_{\rm a}\) of 25.9 \({}^{\circ}\)C with a sheet alone (36.52 \(\pm\) 0.11 \({}^{\circ}\)C) and the sheet + blanket (37.09 \(\pm\) 0.11 \({}^{\circ}\)C) but only when the neonate's energy metabolism was highly active (2.70 W/kg). Moderate hypothermia was never estimated for the other conditions. At a T\({}_{\rm a}\) of 20.9 \({}^{\circ}\)C, moderate hypothermia was estimated (i.e., body temperatures ranging from 32.79 to 34.40 \({}^{\circ}\)C), except for the condition with M = 2.70 W/kg and I\({}_{\rm cl}\) = 0.21 m\({}^{2}\) \({}^{\circ}\)C/\({}^{\circ}\)W.  
Comparisons of the heat power values given in Table 1 (R + C) and Table 2 (R + C + K) showed that under our experimental conditions, the conductive heat gain was negligible and was not significant at a T\({}_{\rm a}\) of 20.9 \({}^{\circ}\)C regardless of the thermal insulation of the mannequin's covering (sheet: \(p\) = 0.1495, z = 1.441 and sheet + blanket: \(p\) = 0.6434, z = 0.463). At a Ta of 25.9 \({}^{\circ}\)C, the conductive heat gain was significant with the sheet (+0.24 W/kg; \(p\) = 0.0074, z = 2.68; 9.5% of the total dry heat exchange) but not with the sheet + blanket (\(p\) = 0.0881, z = 1.706). The threshold for severe hypothermia (32 \({}^{\circ}\)C) was never reached--even for the lowest T\({}_{\rm a}\) and the lowest degree of thermal insulation (Figure 3).