your baby needs you more than ever. Touch and talk to your new baby as much as possible. As the tubes are removed, you’ll be able to hold your baby and help with bathing and care.
Most NICUs will allow you to take your baby home when he or she can maintain a constant body temperature in a crib, feed well by breast or bottle, and gain weight steadily. Some hospitals have a transition period before discharge when parents can room together with the baby in the hospital until they are confident to take them home.
Common complications among preemies
In general, the closer to the due date that a baby is born, the better his or her chances are of being born healthy. Even a few days or weeks can make a huge difference: A baby born at 23 weeks has only a 10 to 35 percent chance of surviving and greater than 50 percent chance of a long-term disability.
At just 25 weeks, survival improves to between 50 and 80 percent, and the chances of a long-term disability drop to between 15 and 25 percent. At 27 to 29 weeks, survival rates are above 90 percent, and disability rates fall to less than 10 percent. Between 34 and 37 weeks, survival rates are excellent (greater than 98 percent), and chances of long-term disability are slim – less than five percent.
Certain complications are very common, almost universal, among preemies. These include sleep apnea (when breathing stops during sleep), trouble eating (because of weak and uncoordinated muscles), and jaundice (yellowish skin because the liver isn’t working efficiently). Other common problems include abdominal hernias, acid reflux, breathing difficulties, abnormal blood sugar regulation, and heart development that remain incomplete.
If your baby has any of these conditions, the medical providers in the NICU will treat them and teach you how to care for your baby at home until they have resolved. These common conditions are usually short-term complications. If your baby was very premature (before 28 weeks) he or she may have additional problems that may be more severe or take longer to overcome.
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Growth and Development
Premature babies usually begin life just a little behind the curve, compared to babies that are born at the expected time. They are generally smaller and may grow more slowly at first. The good news is they have plenty of time to catch up. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, most children born early eventually reach a normal size for their age in a year or two. Many premature babies also reach major developmental milestones right on schedule, Sauer says. “They may be small, but they can still sit up at six months,” she says.
Your child’s doctor or nurse practitioner will want to check your baby regularly to make sure they are growing and developing at a healthy pace. If your baby seems to be falling behind in his or her growth, try not to worry too much. Premature babies often grow in spurts.
A few babies who are born prematurely will remain small for their entire lives. According to a report from the University of Wisconsin, stunted growth is most common among babies who were less than 2.5 pounds at birth (which is considered a low to extremely low birth weight), who were small for their gestational age at birth, who suffered a long illness, or who were slow to gain weight in the hospital nursery.
Feeding and Nutrition
As a rule, premature babies need more than just breast milk or standard formula to thrive. Your baby may be prescribed iron drops, vitamin supplements, or if your baby is bottle-fed a special nutrient-rich formula.
Your baby’s medical provider can also help you plan a feeding schedule. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, most premature infants need to eat eight to 10 times a day. If they go more than four hours between feedings, they can easily become