Congratulations! The moment you've been waiting for has finally arrived, and you get to bring your premature infant home from the hospital.
Even if this is not your first baby, you may have questions about how to take care of your premature infant at home. Preemies are different from full-term babies, and have different needs. Feeding, preventing illness, safety, and general baby care are all a little different for babies who were born early.
Read More: When Can My Baby Come Home From the NICU?
1. Feeding Your Preemie at Home
Image courtesy of Sarah M. Golonka / Getty Images
Even after NICU discharge, premature infants may have trouble taking in enough calories for good weight gain. Preemies need to have good weight gain to support catch up growth, but might still not be quite strong enough to breastfeed or bottle feed well. Parents may also wonder how much and how often their premature infant should be eating or how to encourage a sleepy baby to feed better.
Read More:2. Keeping Your Premature Infant Healthy
Image copyright Nancy Falconi / Getty Images
Because they were born early, some premature infants get sick more easily than full-term babies. Preemies are more likely to have a variety of health conditions, including chronic lung disease that puts them at risk for respiratory infections, immature immune systems that make it difficult for them to fight infection, or lingering gut issues from bouts with NEC. Happily, following a few simple rules will help prevent many illnesses in preemies.
Read More:
3. Preventing SIDS in Premature Infants
Image courtesy George Doyle / Getty Images
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a terrible tragedy. Unfortunately, premature infants have a higher risk of dying from SIDS than full-term babies. Although doctors still aren't sure exactly what causes SIDS, they do know that most cases of SIDS can be prevented by following recommended safe sleep practices.
Read More:
4. Car Seat Safety for Premature Infants
Image copyright Elke Van de Velde / Getty Images
Premature infants may be very small when they're discharged from the NICU, and they may not fit safely into all car seats. Not only can it be tricky to position your preemie in a car seat, but the semi-upright position can cause your preemie to have trouble keeping an open airway. Protect your preemie by making sure that she is positioned safely in the car seat at all times.
Read More:5. Bathing Your Premature Infant
Image courtesy Shawn Fowler / shawnfowlerphotography.com
Although bathing your baby may seem like one of the simplest parenting tasks, giving a premature infant a bath for the first time can be scary! Learn the equipment you need and steps to take while giving your baby a bath, and how to keep your preemie warm during bath time.
Read More:
