Special Care For Premature Babies

The last thing any pregnant woman wants to think about while carrying a child are premature babies. However, for some women, an early baby becomes a reality. This is often one of the hardest times in the life of any mom or dad, as the weeks and even months that a premature baby must spend in a NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) are long, exhausting, and full of uncertainty. Medicine has come a long way, and premature babies are living and thriving from younger ages. A baby born at 25 weeks has a better survival rate than ever before. Nothing is guaranteed, but advances in preemie care have come a long way.

If you suddenly find that you are one of those parents that has a premature baby, you probably feel a lot of different things. You may feel guilty, as if you have failed your child somehow. You may feel like you are helpless and are not yet a mother because you did not get to greet your child the way you thought you would. You may feel as if others are caring for your child and there is nothing that you can do other than stand by and hope for the best. These are all common feelings for parents of premature babies, but these are also things that can be overcome.

The first thing any mom of a premature baby should do is to know that babies are born premature for a variety of reasons, and sometimes, for no reason at all. Often, there was nothing that could have prevented this. Instead of feeling guilt, these moms should concentrate on what they can do for their baby, and they can do more than they first think. Parents of premature babies should talk with the doctors and nurses that care for their child and ask any questions they may have. You may fear you can not hold your child because of all the tubes and monitors, but that is not always the case. Many parents, depending on the age of the baby, can hold their child right away.

Medicine can do a lot for premature babies, but parents also have powerful tools that they can use to help their child or children grow, mature, and perhaps go home sooner. The power of touch is amazing and premature babies respond. Ask if you can do what is called Kangaroo Care with your premature baby. This is holding the baby against your skin for a period of time each day. There are magical benefits to this and studies have shown that Kangaroo care not only helps the baby, it helps the mom too. She feels more like a mother and her stress levels are a lower. Dads can do this as well.

No one dreams of having premature babies, and often, this is a huge surprise. No matter how shocked you are, know that you are never alone. The staff in your NICU understands how you are feeling and they want to involve you in your baby's care as much as they can. It is good for everyone. Parents of premature babies can also benefit from good reading materials and support groups. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you are overwhelmed and confused. Leaving the hospital without your baby in your arms in unnatural, and your response is expected and normal. Ask for support from the NICU social worker or the nurse attending your baby when it is all too much.