For most families the birth of a child is a time of great anticipation and joy. From the moment we confirm our pregnancy, we begin to get excited and make preparations to receive our baby after nine months of gestation. But Sometimes the baby we expect on a certain date arrives early, leaving mothers and fathers puzzled with endless doubts and uncertainties about the health and care of their little one.
In Spain, approximately 7% of children are born prematurely. A baby born before 37 weeks gestation is considered premature. Premature babies are born with an immaturity of their organs and systems that make them more vulnerable to diseases and more sensitive to external stimuli (light, noise, temperature, etc.). Not all premature babies present the same problems, it must be taken into account that their severity is in relation to gestational age. Babies under 35 weeks often have trouble breathing, feeding, and regulating their temperature. In these cases, they need additional support to survive outside the uterus, which is why they are usually admitted to neonatal units where care is designed to assist in these three essential functions.
For parents, the birth of a premature child is a huge challenge in which they will have to face situations that can alter their emotional balance. Just as the baby was born prematurely, they too have become parents sooner than they expected and can be considered premature moms and dads. Anticipation at birth can lead to anxiety and distress over not feeling ready to care for an extremely small and delicate baby.
As if the doubts and fears were few, parents also have to face the separation that in many cases hospitalization entails, staying in the neonatology room seeing their baby surrounded by machines, probes and tubes, not being able to hold in your arms as long as they would like the uncertainty of whether your child will survive or have sequelae.
Fortunately, in most cases, after a period of hospital stay, babies are discharged and they can go home to their parents. Going home, even though it is a highly desired moment, can generate a mixture of feelings ranging from joy at being able to take your child home to fear of losing the "protection" of the hospital. This causes that, on many occasions, the hospital-home transition is lived with fear and anxiety.
There are numerous guides and documents prepared by different organizations such as the Spanish Neonatology Association or the Spanish Association of Pediatrics that summarize the guidelines for caring for premature babies both in the hospital and at home. Here I summarize some of his main tips.
Monitor breathing
The breathing patterns and skin color of premature babies can undergo sudden sudden changes. Therefore, it is extremely important that let's observe the movements of the chest, its number of breaths per minute and the noises it makes when breathing normally. If you are familiar with these normal patterns, it will be much easier for you to detect any abnormalities.
Control the ambient temperature
When your baby is discharged from hospital, he is already able to regulate his body temperature. However, if the environment is cold it is easy for it to lose heat. On the contrary, the environment is very hot, the body temperature can rise. Therefore, the ideal is that you try to keep the house temperature constant and around 23 degrees.
Food
Breast milk is the best food for premature babies. His composition adapts to the baby's needs in the different stages of its development. In the case of premature infants, the mother produces so-called preterm milk rich in proteins, immunoglobulins and anti-infective factors to protect the baby's immune system.. It is also low in lactose to adapt to a still immature digestive system, facilitating digestion and gastric emptying and protecting from the dreaded necrotizing enterocolitis.
Some babies can breastfeed from the beginning, but others will not be able to do so during the first days or weeks of life, so the mother must express the milk that will be supplied to the baby through a tube. Normally, when they are discharged, they can already breastfeed on their own, but since their stomach is very small and they quickly tire of sucking, they usually take short and frequent feedings. Sometimes, supplementation with milk that the mother has previously expressed is necessary.
If it has not been possible to establish breastfeeding, use artificial milk indicated by the pediatrician. The normal thing is that when they go home they can already take the same milk as full-term babies.
Practice skin to skin
For a full-term newborn, birth involves a very abrupt change. It goes from the safe and warm environment of the uterus, to an environment full of unknown stimuli and sensations. This change is even more noticeable for premature infants as they have not completed their intrauterine development.
The skin-to-skin or kangaroo mother method is essential for any baby, but in the case of premature babies it is especially important. It must be borne in mind that they are children who have been hospitalized, with the stress that this entails and subjected to numerous medical tests. Therefore They need high doses of physical contact, affection and pleasant experiences.
Skin-to-skin contact favors bonding, helps regulate the baby's breathing and body temperature, favors the establishment of breastfeeding, and provides the child with safety and protection. What's more helps parents know the baby's signals and rhythms, facilitating the early detection of possible problems.
Know the corrected age of the baby
It is important that you know the corrected age of your baby as it is essential to assess their growth and development. To calculate it, it is necessary to subtract from her extrauterine age, the weeks that she lacked inside the uterus to reach 40 weeks of gestation.
For example, a child who was born at 34 weeks had six to go to 40. Therefore, his real age will have to be subtracted from those 6 weeks, so that if he is 6 months old, his corrected age will be 4 months and a half. This is important because if not the baby may not seem to be developing for his age.
The corrected age must be taken into account until about two years of age.
Carry out activities that help their development
Most of thePremature babies usually have normal development, taking into account his corrected age. However, some may have poor muscle tone, problems with their motor development, or have vision or hearing difficulties, or behavioral problems.
If you have any questions regarding the development of your child, do not hesitate to consult your pediatrician. He is the one who can best value your baby and provide you with the right information and resources. Nevertheless, at home you can carry out activities that help your child. Spending time with him, talking to him, reading stories, giving him massages, doing passive gymnastics or playing music is very beneficial to eliminate stress, help them perceive the environment and facilitate their development.
Maintain correct hygiene habits
The immune system of a premature baby is much more immature than that of a full-term baby so it is a lot more prone to infections, such as respiratory syncytial virus to which they are especially prone. It is important to maintain proper hygiene habits, wash your hands frequently, avoid contact with sick people, and keep the environment and toys clean. Also, if possible, it would be advisable to avoid daycare centers and crowded places during the first year of life.
Find information
Being well informed is fundamental to know and become familiar with the stages of development and care of your baby. Do not hesitate to ask any questions you have to the health personnel about the health, interventions or treatments that your child will require.
Today information is easily accessible through the internet, but you have to try to look for reliable sources. There are numerous books, forums, associations, specialized websites and official health organizations that offer serious and proven information.
Prepare psychologically and seek family support
The prematurity of your baby will make you live difficult moments that can affect you psychologically. Do not hesitate to seek professional help if you see yourself without the strength to face the situation alone.
Family support is essential at this time so that you can dedicate yourself exclusively to your baby. Preparing meals, taking care of your older children or helping with household chores are some of the things that your family and friends will surely be delighted to do since they will make the situation much more bearable for you.