• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
BlackDoctor.org
Where Wellness & Culture Connect

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

  • Health Conditions
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Longevity
  • Resource Centers
    • Clinical Trials Resource Center
    • Wellness on the Yard
    • Cancer Resource Center
    • Immunocompromised Care
    • Top Blacks in Healthcare
  • Find A Doctor
  • BDO TV
Home / Health Conditions / Preterm Birth / 9 Things You Need To Know About Preterm Baby Care

9 Things You Need To Know About Preterm Baby Care

premature baby

Bringing home a new, premature, baby can be a very scary experience for new parents. After weeks and sometimes months in NICU, who would know all the factors that go into after-care for your precious tiny preemie?

Registered Nurse, Terry Sauer, RN, has spent her career surrounded by premature infants. As the manager of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Deaconess Billings Clinic in Billings, Montana, she cares for several babies at a time, each facing an uncertain future.

Lifesaving technology has improved dramatically in the years since Sauer first stepped into a NICU, but one thing has remained constant: Today’s parents are just as worried as ever. Preparing parents is a large part of Sauer’s job. Before any baby goes home, Sauer gives moms and dads the information and the confidence, they’ll need for the work ahead.

If a premature baby (born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) has just joined your family, you’re not alone, about 13 percent of babies are born early. The coming months will be filled with challenges and uncertainty, but remember that every child is different. Only your doctor or nurse can say what type of care your baby needs, and nobody can say for sure how your baby will respond. All you can do is your best.

You May Also Like
9 Foods You Should NEVER Eat after Age 30

Here are some important things to keep in mind as you care for your new baby:

How old is your baby?

A premature baby who is three months old is not developmentally the same as a full-term baby who is three months old. As you watch your baby grow, it’s helpful to keep in mind their “gestational age” (the number of weeks since they were conceived) and adjusted age (their age minus the amount of prematurity).

A full-term baby is 40 weeks old at birth. When that full-term baby is one month old he or she will have the same gestational age as a four-month-old preemie who was born three months prematurely. Even though the preemie has been out of the womb longer, both babies have a gestational age of 44 weeks and the preemie will have an adjusted age of one month.

Gestational age is most useful when talking about babies younger than 40 weeks. After that, it’s more common to refer to adjusted age.

You May Also Like
Learn About Merck's Research Studies For Patients With Kidney Cancer

RELATED: 5 Things Black Women Should Know About Preterm Birth

Interacting in the NICU

Hospitals will keep premature infants in the NICU until they’re stable enough to take home, usually at 36 to 38 weeks gestational age. Depending on how early your baby arrived, you’re likely to be spending a lot of time in the NICU.

Preemies are often very thin and their skin may seem transparent, with red blood vessels visible because there’s not much fat under the skin. At first, it can be very scary to see your tiny baby in an incubator hooked up to an oxygen supply, intravenous lines for food or medicine, or monitors to check heart rate and breathing.

Even though you might feel helpless when there are so many machines and barriers between you and your baby, remember that

Continue Reading

The Latest In Preterm Birth

preterm birth

Hot Mama? Extreme Temperatures May Increase Risk For Preterm Birth

  Expectant mothers worried about their chances of having a premature baby may want to be more mindful of the weather. RELATED: 5 Things Black Women Should Know About Preterm Birth According to research, exposure to extreme hot or cold read more about Hot Mama? Extreme Temperatures May Increase Risk For Preterm Birth
preterm birth

5 Things Black Women Should Know About Preterm Birth

Having a 'bun in the oven' can be a time of excitement and joy about what's to come, but if your bun doesn't 'bake' long enough, that can be cause for serious concern. According to the CDC, in 2021, preterm read more about 5 Things Black Women Should Know About Preterm Birth
preterm birth

Preterm Birth: 3 Things Women Must Do

Up to one-quarter of preterm births might be prevented if women paid attention to three risk factors that are under their control, research suggests. YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: 5 Things Black Women Should Know About Preterm Birth Those factors include read more about Preterm Birth: 3 Things Women Must Do

Kaleb “Baby Buns”: The “13oz of Faith” Miracle Baby

It's hard to believe it has been over six years since Kaleb Arkell Graves, better known as "Baby Buns" got to go home and start life after a year of being in the hospital. If you remember Kaleb is the read more about Kaleb “Baby Buns”: The “13oz of Faith” Miracle Baby
stillbirths

Are Stillbirths More Common in Women Infected With COVID?

Being pregnant is a joyous occasion that usually involves a lot of planning and preparation (name picking, preparing the baby's room, etc.) But under the surface, many women are also preparing for any complications that may arise during their pregnancy. read more about Are Stillbirths More Common in Women Infected With COVID?
breastfeeding premature baby

Breastfeeding May Strengthen a Baby’s Heart

If you have a preemie and are considering breastfeeding, a new study may be the final straw to sway your decision. Breast milk can give preemies' hearts a big boost, a groundbreaking study suggests. For Black women, who are 50% read more about Breastfeeding May Strengthen a Baby’s Heart

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter

Poll

Popular Posts

The 14 Different Types Of Headaches: Which One You’re Experiencing?

The 14 Different Types Of Headaches: Which One You’re Experiencing?

6 Things In Your Home That Can Cause Cancer

things that cause cancer

5 Amazing Things Salt Water Can Cure

salt water benefits

5 Exercise Moves That Never Work

exercise moves

3 Supplements You Should Be Taking Daily

daily report
Find a Culturally Sensitive Doctor

Footer

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Connect With Us

Learn More About

  • Hepatitis C
  • Diabetes
  • Sickle Cell
  • Mental Health
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise With Us
  • BlackDoctor.org Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
  • Daily Vitamina
  • TBH

Copyright © 2023, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.