How to care for the premature baby

Photo: THINKSTOCK

Each year 15 million premature babies are born in the world, of which 30,000 do so in Spain. A premature baby It is not usually fully developed and some of your vital organs may not work properly, which means you must have them under the care of specialists in an Intensive Care Unit.

A premature baby - when born with less than 37 weeks, compared to the 38-42 weeks of babies born at term - is not usually fully developed, which means that some vital organs may not work optimally. After premature birth, some babies may not be ready to function and, therefore, these babies have to stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (neonatal ICU) and are attended by specialists.

The premature babies who receive attention to development show better results in their neurodevelopment until the age of two. In addition, they are less likely to develop long-term behavioral and disability problems at 5 1/2 years of age.

Care of the premature baby in the neonatal ICU

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (neonatal ICU) is the place where premature babies will stay for days, weeks or even longer, depending on the baby's degree of prematurity. This section or area of the hospital is where the hospital staff treats newborns with medical complications or babies who were born prematurely. In it, the premature baby will remain in an incubator and will have an optimal environment for growth.

Although the environment of the neonatal ICU can intimidate, health professionals will help you become familiar so that parents can participate in the care process.

The advances in neonatal care (from the amount of oxygen supplied to the monitoring of the temperature of the neonates) have helped to eliminate some of the issues and concerns of the neonatal ICU. These innovations have made the process of caring for a premature baby safer and more complete than ever.

Can you come to see him at home?

Although it is logical and natural to want all the family and friends to know our baby as soon as possible, it is important to control the visits at the beginning. The premature baby is still vulnerable, so it should not be in very noisy environments or with many people. You need peace of mind to adapt to your new environment, after spending weeks or even months in a neonatology unit with the noise and light levels that characterize them.

Health tips for the premature baby

- Once at home, visit the pediatrician during the first fifteen days to guide you and advise on what measures should be taken.

- Try that during the first year of life, and especially in the season of bronchiolitis -from October to March-, do not be in contact with people who are cured, other small children or places where a lot of people are concentrated.

- Avoid that in the medical consultations your baby is waiting in rooms full of children to mitigate possible infections.

- Prevents smoking in the presence of any baby and much less if this one is premature.

- It is recommended that during the first two years of life very premature babies do not go to the nursery.

- When you get home, it will be better to keep him away from the annoying noises, as well as that you provide favorable lighting and environment for your rest and recovery. Premature children have lived during their stay in the hospital in a space free of noise and excess activity.

Cristina Murcia
Source: Dräger