Except for some babies who are born large, fairly heavy and healthy looking, the reality is that newborn babies are tiny and seemingly delicate. When a baby is born prematurely, this state multiplies since at the time of birth, the little one has not yet finished its formation. These little warriors will need some special care during the first stage of their life.
The premature babies are those who do before reaching the 37th week of gestation. In addition, within this group there are two types, those known as large premature babies because they are born before 32 weeks. And on the other hand, those that are born later, who usually spend little time in the incubator.
What are the differences between preemies and full-term babies?
All babies need pediatric follow-up during their first months of life, whether they are full-term or not. For babies born prematurely, this medical control extends until they turn 2 years old, which is when it is considered that their development is equal to that of other children. This is because their development may be different and it is very important to monitor each step very closely.
It is very important that you take this circumstance wisely but without obsessing over it. Once the first few weeks are up, generally that premature babies they grow in a way that is very similar to other babies. What's more, you should know that most children born weighing less than a kilo and a half have a completely normal life.
What the first days of a premature baby will be like
Babies born prematurely need a few days in the incubator to finish forming. The time it spends in the incubator will depend on the week in which it was born and on how the formation develops outside the uterus. Large preterm infants, those born before week 32 generally, they usually present some problems during the first days.
With the medical care and incredible strength these little ones have, in most cases they resolve without major problem. In other more extreme cases, the premature baby may have to spend some time in the ICU, however, more and more premature babies manage to overcome this circumstance.
Some of these possible problems may be jaundice, anemia, shortness of breath or trouble staying warm due to low body fat.
Caring for your premature baby at home
All babies need a lot of care when they get home, in the case of premature babies you should take into account some details for your care.
- Control visits. The whole family will be looking forward to meeting the little one, but the premature baby especially needs a relaxed, warm and low-noise environment.
- Special attention with food. The immaturity of his nervous system can cause the child not to know when he is hungry and therefore does not cry to ask for it. You must be very attentive and provide food for the child every so often, your doctor will be able to give you more specific guidelines in this regard.
- Breastfeeding. You will have to be especially careful with his head and shoulders.
- Artificial lactation. Make sure to buy suitable nipples for premature babies, so that suctioning is easier for you.
Control their development based on their controlled age
The controlled age is the one that the baby would have had it been born at termIn other words, if he is born a month earlier than expected, when he is two months old, his controlled age will be 1 month. This detail regarding its size is taken into account during the first 2 years. It is at this time that their development is considered to be on the same level as that of other full-term children.
You should know that the vast majority of premature children, 90%, reach a completely normal development. Although during the first months it may have some sequelae, such as those marked by the help received in the incubator. They are external marks that disappear with time, those marks do not have much importance.
Children are born with inexplicable strengthAt first glance they are delicate and fragile and although they are, these little warriors prove every day to be super heroes.