Tips to Tend a Premature Infant

Now that your beloved infant is finally home from NICU, it’s time for you to take the motherly position of taking care of him from every aspect- feeding him, bathing him, lulling him to sleep. This would have been perfectly normal unless you are gifted with a premature baby who requires additional caution in each of the above aspects.

A baby is considered to be premature when it is born prior to 37th week of gestation. Mothers of premature babies often suffer from a great deal of apprehension when it comes to tending their babies. Premature babies are prone to complications due to their underdeveloped organs and immune system and hence, they require prim hospitality under controlled environment.

This article provides you with some tips regarding nursing of your premature baby at home.

tend a premature infantCaring for Premature Babies

The guidelines arrayed below may assist you in nursing your newborn and recommend you some essential steps under emergency situations:

Temperature

You must ensure that the temperature of the room is comfortable and safe for the baby. Layers, sleeping bags and blankets will efficiently do the job of maintaining a suitable temperature. The temperature of his body can drop suddenly after bath, so you must assure to cover him up immediately after bathing him. However, do not wrap him up too much as high body temperature is often associated with cot death.

Bed Time

Maintaining proper sleep hygiene is vital for baby’s growth and development. At night, provide your newborn with a quite, softly lit environment to develop an atmosphere suitable for slumber. A sweet melody may associate and hence aggravate his peaceful nap.

SIDS

This is a deadly syndrome which involves the death of supposedly healthy infants in their sleep. An attack of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is prevalent during the first six months of an infant’s life. In order to prevent further lethal attacks, you must take the following precautions as: Always lie the little one on his rear, use lightweight coverings to prevent imminent asphyxia, keep him away from heaters and keep room temperature at average level.

Washing Techniques

You can use plain water to bath your premature infant. During diaper changes you may use soft cotton swabs and normal water. Bathing your baby is not a daily essentiality. Instead, someday you can swab his body with cotton soaked in lukewarm water. Always use warm water to wash his body and wrap him up with towel immediately after bath to check loss of body heat.

Kangaroo Care

It is a nursing technique where a premature baby is kept in an upright position over his mother’s chest positioning the infant between mother’s breasts. This skin-to-skin contact ensures stabilizing baby’s body temperature, promoting his deep slumber, and easier access to breast hence allowing more feasible breastfeeding.

The given guidelines are necessary tips you can adopt to tend your premature baby with great precautions. Remember that this is a vulnerable phase of your little one’s life and it’s your responsibility to assist him to overcome the difficulties in every possible way.

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