Preterm Birth 101: How to Care for Your Premature Baby?

Preterm labors happen at a rate from 5% to 18% across 184 countries in the world, according to the World Health Organization.

Even though preterm birth is not uncommon, it still comes as a shock to most parents when it actually happens. You might have just come from the shock of your sudden contraction, and before you realize what’s happening, you’ve delivered your premature baby somehow. But what now? It’s okay to feel unprepared for what’s next to come, we will guide you through the steps to care for your premature baby.

We recommend reading Preterm Birth 101: Cause and Prevention if you haven’t already!

Health Concerns for Your Premature Baby

Babies normally need 39 to 40 weeks of pregnancy to properly mature and develop. Babies born before 37 full weeks can be at the risk of prematurity and suffer from the common complications listed below.

Keep in mind that the level and symptoms of prematurity are different for each baby, and most babies do not experience all the health issues listed.

• Unstable body temperature: Premature babies may have lower than average body fat that keeps them warm and temperature stable.
• Trouble breathing: They may have a hard time inhaling oxygen if he/she suffers from Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) and/or Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD). In the case of Respiratory Distress Syndrome, there is not enough surfactant liquid to keep the airways (or alveoli) open and the airways collapse after each breath. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is a chronic lung disease that involves underdeveloped, irritated lung cells that are unable to transport oxygen effectively. It is possible to have RDS and BPD happening at the same time, which will vastly increase the difficulty of breathing.
• Circulatory and immune diseases: Premature babies may suffer from heart conditions, jaundice (yellow skin discoloration), anemia (low red blood cell count), and infection are possible.
• Impaired cognitive function: They may suffer from muscle dysfunction, behavioral or psychological disorder due to intraventricular hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain), or underdeveloped brain tissues.
• Eye disease: Retinopathy of prematurity can occur when the retina is not fully developed. It is possible to self-cure from retinopathy of prematurity if the case is mild, while more serious cases may need surgery to avoid vision loss or blindness.

Take Care of Yourself First

Having a premature birth can be hard for any mum and family. It’s normal to feel unprepared and frightened about what’s coming next. You may be experiencing a flush of emotions, joy, disappointment, fear, self-doubt, and sadness coming at you all at once. You may feel confident to face all the challenges one day and feel totally defeated the next day. It is important to take care of your own emotional needs first before you stress out more responsibilities of taking care of your baby.

Eat a healthy diet and keep a balanced lifestyle to minimize your stress. Always seek support from your partner, family, and friends if you’re struggling to fight the unknowns and need a pat on the shoulder. Don’t focus on finding the cause of your preterm birth. If you are frustrated over questions and comments from people, let them know that preterm births are unpredictable and we can never know precisely what the causes are. Get plenty of rest and relax fully.

How to Take Care of Your Premature Baby?

Premature babies will most likely spend their first couple of weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to receive special care for their conditions. You may feel powerless in a room full of medical equipment, all sorts of tubes, ventilators, and noises coming out from machines. But there are still many ways that you can help your baby, including:

• Ask about your baby’s condition: Understand your baby’s conditions and find out what you need to prepare for. Remember, the more you know, the better you can handle the situations.
• Check your baby’s condition often: Update your doctor about your baby’s condition if you notice anything unusual or changes.
• Prepare your milk supply: Even though your baby may still be relying on IV and may not be able to feed right away, you should still bump out your breastmilk 6-8 times a day to keep your milk supply coming. Your milk ducts can shrink and produce less milk if you don’t pump them out regularly.
• Connect with your baby: Bond with your baby through voice and skin touch when he/she’s ready.

You’ve just given birth to a beautiful child, be proud and stay strong. No one can ever blame you for what happened, so don’t agonize over guilt and self-blame. You’ve come so far already 🙂