How to take care of premature babies

If your baby is born prematurely, do not bathe every day because your baby's skin is prone to dryness. 1-2 times a week is enough to bathe, as long as the diaper area is kept clean. Clean your baby's face every day with warm water, paying attention to the area under the chin where the milk is prone to stagnation.

Premature babies are babies born earlier than 37 weeks from the mother's last day, usually weighing less than 2,500 g. Low birth weight babies have a higher risk of death, are more susceptible to disease and more difficult to develop. Therefore, children need special care. If properly cared for and treated properly, children will catch up with normal babies.

Nearly 32-week premature babies have symptoms such as: Can not breastfeed, cannot breathe evenly, without a stable body temperature.
Children are susceptible to hypothermia because of their low fat content and their body temperature regulators have not been fully developed. Children are more prone to hypoglycemia because their energy reserves are very small. These babies find it difficult to nourish because their bodies are small, lack of energy, small stomachs and are not strong enough to feed. Immune system is incomplete, so children are susceptible to infection.
The younger the child, the higher the risk.

In terms of care, care should be taken to keep the baby warm. If your baby's hands and feet are touched, you should wear gloves and socks for your child. When your baby sleeps, cover them with a blanket.

Most premature babies are fed every 2 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours. Premature babies often do not cry; when hungry children often move a lot, do not lie still. After 4 to 5 hours of breastfeeding, if your baby is still sleeping, you should wake up to feed your baby.

When discharged from hospital, each premature infant can suck from 40 to 60 ml of milk every 3-4 hours. If your baby is hungry, you can increase the amount of milk. Breastfed babies often suckle longer and are more hungry than bottle feeding. The best way to know if your baby is getting enough is to observe how many times a day your baby is urinating (6-8 times).

The following are common questions in mothers with premature babies:

Why does she cry?

Crying is a way of information. The causes of frequent crying babies are:

- Hungry, especially if the baby finishes feeding for 2 hours.

- Discomfort due to wet, dirty diapers, clothing that is too tight, too cold or too hot.

- Need to change position.

- Stuffy nose.

How to know if a child is sick?

Premature babies are prone to respiratory infections. Signs of illness are: Change in breathing pattern, abnormal breathing; crying a lot, excited; little feeding; hard to wake up; cough; most milk feeds; little urine; pale skin; fever.

During breastfeeding, premature babies may not breathe or swallow smoothly. Notice if your baby shows signs of greening around the mouth; If so, stop breastfeeding, sit your baby on your lap, pat your back. If not supported, take your baby to a medical facility.

Should visitors visit the baby?

After birth, many people want to visit, but for premature babies, it is necessary to limit them until they are older. It should be noted that people with colds should not visit immediately, so wait when they leave. Premature babies are susceptible to irritation, should limit their exposure or touch.

Visitors should not smoke in the nursery.

When can I bring my baby to vaccination?

Premature babies are often vaccinated at the same time as after birth as full-term babies.

Should the baby lie on his stomach?

Babies can be placed on their stomachs when being treated in a hospital, where there are monitoring facilities. But at home, do not put your baby on your stomach during sleep because there is a risk of apnea during sleep.