Premature babies are babies who are at risk because they have not completed their maturation cycle. Depending on the moment in which labor is triggered, there is a greater or lesser risk. And also certain care. doWhat care does a 33 week premature baby need??
In this case, we are talking about a child who was born about 7 weeks earlier than expected, a crucial stage in the life of the fetus since the last months are destined for the final development of certain organs. That is why prevention and regular monitoring both before and after delivery is essential to preserve the health of the premature baby.
What happens at 33 weeks of the baby
Due to lack of development, premature babies require multiple cares as they have many special needs. This is the reason why they remain in neonatal care units because there is the necessary technology and care to protect them until they manage to develop. Within the neo, wonderful and other painful things happen, the care depends on the stage of each baby and the level of development. However, there are common factors that affect the vast majority of cases.
To start with, efood is very important, since the good development and growth of the baby will depend on it. Whenever possible, he will be fed with breast milk as it contains the necessary nutrients for the baby. The same can be extracted from the mother to then be offered to the baby through a probe in the event that it cannot suck, something very common in premature babies who are too small or sick. By 33 weeks of life, many premature babies They can be fed through a bottle although this requires a great deal of energy. That is why it is common that in addition to breast milk they are given vitamin and protein supplements in order to recover the energy spent. Feeding must be paused to avoid a serious intestinal problem called necrotizing enterocolitis.
Beyond feeding, there are other problems associated with immaturity. Between the caring for a 33 week premature baby There are controls linked to the development of anemia, that is, an insufficient number of red blood cells, as well as sleep apnea (when the baby stops breathing for short periods of time). Respiratory problems due to lack of lung development are also common in premature infants. An excess of bilirubin in the blood associated with jaundice should also be controlled. A pediatric ophthalmologist will check the baby to control the development of a possible retinoplasty of prematurity, which can lead to blindness in the most severe cases, and the heart will also have to be checked because these babies can have some cardiac sequelae.
33 week baby care
The good news is that babies born premature at 33 weeks they already have very high survival rates. Their weight is between 2kg and 2,5kg and although they are still very small, or at least much more than a full-term baby, they have a certain autonomy and strength. Despite the good forecasts. you have to be very careful. However, with care and close monitoring it is likely that a few weeks later they will be able to leave the neonatal care unit.
One of the biggest achievements is that many of the 33 week babies are able to eat independently and this is a huge milestone. Although, as mentioned above, this can take a lot of effort, it is also a small guarantee of favorable evolution and weight gain that will favor the strength and health of the baby.
Although there are some issues that are no longer of great concern, the lack of lung development is one of the great concerns. Because the lungs are still immature, apnea problems or respiratory diseases may develop. That is why it is very important to carry out 24-hour monitoring.