Babies born before the 37th week of gestation are considered premature. Premature babies are not fully equipped to deal with life in our world. Their little bodies still have underdeveloped parts that include the lungs, digestive system, immune system and skin. Thankfully, medical technology has made it possible for preemies to survive the first few days, weeks or months of life until they are strong enough to make it on their own.
A neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), also known as an intensive care nursery (ICN), is an intensive care unit specializing in the care of ill or premature newborn infants. The staff usually consists of respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, lactation consultants, pharmacists, social workers, hospital chaplains and a neonatologist.
The amount of sophisticated equipment in the NICU can be overwhelming and sometimes scary for the parents, however if your baby is there, you need to face all this with bravery and help your child though the first few difficult months. Here is what you can do...
Adopt Kangaroo Care:
It is a technique where the premature baby is placed in an upright position on its mother’s bare chest allowing tummy to tummy contact that positions the baby between the mother’s breasts. The baby’s head is turned so that its ear is positioned above the mother’s heart. Many studies have shown that Kangaroo Care offers significant benefits. Kangaroo care has been shown to help premature newborns with:
Body temperature – Studies have shown that a mother has thermal synchrony with her baby and that if her baby was cold, her body temperature would increase to warm up the baby and vice versa.
Breastfeeding – Kangaroo care allows easy access to the breast, and skin-to-skin contact increasing milk let-down.
Increase weight gain – Kangaroo care allows the baby to fall into a deeper sleep allowing it to direct more energy to other bodily functions. Increased weight gain also means a shorter hospital stay.
Talk to your baby. Your baby can recognize your voice(s) and be comforted by hearing you. In addition to talking, you can read or sing to your baby.
Conclusion:
As we all know Mothers milk is very beneficial for babies. But In case of preemies, a mother might not be allowed to breastfeed her baby, as they are fed intravenously or through a tube. So if you are planning to breastfeed, you should tell your doctor and nurses immediately after the birth.
You can then begin storing your breastmilk for the time when your baby is ready for it. The baby’s digestive system and control of electrolytes will determine when he/she will be able to ingest breast milk through a tube and when you can use the milk you have stored. It is encouraged that both the mother and father interact with their baby. Touch your baby as much as possible. You can do this by using a gentle touch and stroking motions.
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