Premature Infants

  

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 What is a premature baby?
 Premature baby or also known as a preemie is a baby born earlier than 37 weeks. As a full term baby is born at 38 to 42 weeks after they are conceived.


Healthy neonate vs. Premature infant
 Healthy infants are born 38-42 weeks after being conceived and weigh at around 2,500 grams or more ( 5- 7lbs).Premature infants are born sooner than 37 weeks from conceaption and weigh in at about 500-2,500 grams ( 3-5lbs).

 What causes premature labor?

There are many factors that can contribute to premature labors. Some are caused by the mothers lifestyle choices during her pregnancy, such as: smoking, drinking, using drugs, poor eating, not gaining enough weight, physical stress, and poor prenatal care.

Other factors are sometimes out of the mother's control. The mother could have a hormonal imbalance, structural abnormality of the uterus, a chronic illness, or infection.

Premature labor can also be caused by age women over the age of 35 is more likely to deliver a premature baby. Women under the age of 19 are also likely to deliver prematurely.

 

 Why do premature infants spend time in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit)?


When babies are born premature they are not fully developed. It depends on how premature your preemie is. For example preemies lungs may not be fully developed to breathe on his or her own or may not produce enough surfactant. The baby would be put on machines that can breath for them. The NICU also provides a stress free atmosphere to help the baby adjust to their new world.


 Common health problems

Illness: Hyperbilirubinemia

What is caused by illness: High levels of bilirubin cause this illness. Bilirubin is a compound the results from the natural breakdown of blood. When there are high levels of bilirubin the preemie may develop jaundice. Jaundice is a yellow discoloration of the skin or eyes.

Beware: Although this illness is common among preemies brain damage can be a result of bilirubin reaching a dangerous level.

Treatment: the treatment is easy preemies are placed under lights. Unless levels are too high the preemie may need a blood transfusion.

Illness: Apnea

What is caused by the illness: Apnea is caused by immaturity of the brain that controls the preemies breathing. Apnea spells occurs when the baby stops breathing the heart rate may decrease and skin may turn pale, purplish, or a blue.

Treatment: Gently stimulating the preemie to breathe. If apnea spells occur frequently medication may be dispensed.

Illness: Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS)

Treatment: Before a premature delivery takes place they administer a medication to the mother to help prevent RDS. After the baby is born he or she will be given surfactant substitute in a shot from. Or will be put on a breathing machine

What Causes the Illness:If a baby is born prematurely the body parts and organs (internal and external) are not fully developed. If the lungs are immature they do not produce enough surfactant. This allows the inner part of the lungs to expand properly once the infant is born.

 How do I take care of my preemie after the NICU?

Once your baby is home they will need to visit their pediatrician once to twice a week. Unless other wise instructed by your doctor babies that are higher risk may visit more often to be closely monitored. Your baby may have to see specialist such as an ophthalmologist they specialize in eye care, an audiologist who specializes in ears, a cardiologist who deals with heart problems, or a neurologist who deals with the brain. All this depends on your baby and his or her needs or on how premature they were born.
While your preemie is in the NICU interact with them so that when you go home they aren't complete strangers to you.

 

 Ways that you could interact with them:

Learn how to read your babies signals.Preemies are very sensitive when it comes to visual or touch stimulation too much of these can cause the baby great stress.


   Stressed  Stable
 Autonomic  Color change  Stable color
   Gagging/hiccups  Sucking
 Motor  Tremors, twitches  Smooth movements
   Arms or legs stiff  Relaxed posture
   Spreading fingers wide  Grasping/hand holding
   Arching back  Loosely curled up/flexed
 State  Weak/ struggling cry  Rhythmic/ robust cry
   Can't be woken up  Will slowly wake up
   Irritability  No irritability
   A lot of fussing/ crying  Not much fussing/crying
 Attention  Glassy-eyed stare, turning away or abruptly going to sleep  Focused attention

 Feeding

By know if your baby has been staying in the NICU the nurses should be able to help with the babies eating patterns. If not preemies should be feed every 21/2-4 hours. Preemies that weigh 41/2 lbs. Usually eat 12-15 ounces of formula a day or 2-3 ounces every 3-4 hours. A baby that is being breast feed will let you know that they need more food by increasing their sucking longer or will eat more often or every 2 hours until you met their needs.

 Bathing

Preemies should be given a complete bath every 1-2 days bathing too often can dry the babies skin as long as the diaper area is clean. Although you should wash the baby's face a least every day with a wash clothe and warm water. Pay attention to the folds under the chin milk can drip and collect under there.


 Conclusion

Everyone knows how hard it is to take care of a full term baby let alone having to take care of a preemie that has special needs. I hope that I can make life just a little less stressing so you can enjoy the precious time that you have to spend with them. If times get to tough always think that you get to spend time your your preemie as an infant a lot longer.

SOURCE: YOUR PREMMIES FIRST YEAR BY AMY TRACY AT WWW.BABIESTODAY.COM

WWW.2.MEDSCH.COM

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