What You Should Know About Premature Babies

They are our dearest, premature babies. He was born prematurely; Everything you need to know about premature babies who are small but struggling is in this article.

What does premature mean? When is a baby considered premature?

Babies born before the 37th week of pregnancy are called premature births, and babies born this way are called premature babies.

Not all preterm births occur before 37 weeks. Some happen even earlier, making these types of prematurity:

By week of pregnancy	by birth weight
Severely premature babies: Those born at 31 weeks + 6 days before	Low birth weight infants (LBA): 2500 g and less
Moderately premature babies: 32-36. born in week	Very low birth weight infants (VLBW): 1500 g and less
Borderline premature babies: Those born at 37 weeks	Extremely low birth weight infants (ADDA): 1000 g and less

What are the causes of preterm birth?

Many mothers of premature babies wonder what have I done that my baby was not born on time.States that the medical world cannot explain the cause of approximately 25% of premature births. Of course, there are some conditions that increase the risk of preterm birth:

• Having high blood pressure and diabetes in the mother,
• Problems in the womb such as cervical insufficiency,
• Infection of the mother during pregnancy, such as urinary tract and genital infections,
• placenta problems,
• Multiple pregnancy,
• Uncontrolled systematic diseases accompanying pregnancy (heart, kidney and thyroid diseases, etc.),
• Excessive amount of fluid in the fluid sac,
• Having had a premature birth before,
• Mother’s smoking and alcohol use
• Intense working conditions during pregnancy,
• Stress,
• The mother’s age is younger than 18 or older than 40,
• Assisted reproductive techniques such as IVF .

Characteristics of premature babies

The earlier the baby is born, the smaller and larger its head in proportion to its body. An important difference in the appearance of premature babies compared to term babies is that their lines are sharper and less rounded.

The skin of premature babies may be covered with more quince hair (lanugo). The skin becomes thin, gentle and transparent.

Babies Born on Time	Premature Babies
She can reciprocate to the interaction of her parents.	Can’t make eye contact.
His breathing is balanced.	He cannot react to the voice of his parents.
It maintains body temperature.	It is under the supervision of doctors and nurses.
The digestive system works.	Depends on drugs and medical devices.
There is body and posture dominance.	He is tired and immobile.
Their behavior is harmonious and understandable.	They look fragile and small.

What is the corrected age for premature babies?

Premature babies spend the time they should be in the womb in the hospital. However, developmental stages in babies take place in certain periods. Therefore, the development of premature infants is followed according to the corrected age.

Let’s give an example. Your baby is now 40 weeks, that is, 10 months old. But let’s say you were born 5 weeks early. In other words, she was born in the 35th week of pregnancy. The corrected age of her baby is 35 weeks, i.e. 8 months and 3 weeks. In other words, in order to follow your baby’s development, you need to look at the 8-month baby development. Development in premature babies may be delayed and delayed compared to term babies. For this reason, experts say that they should be followed according to the corrected age until the age of 2.

What are premature baby problems?

Because premature babies are born before they can complete their development in the mother’s womb, they have to struggle with many health problems. However, these problems may vary depending on the week of birth and the health status of each baby. There is no rule that says all of these will also happen to your baby.

Premature babies may also experience developmental problems. These can be overcome as long as you follow the processes that can be disrupted compared to term babies, such as language and speaking skills, and get the support of experts.

How should a premature baby be fed?

While breast milk is the most important nutrient for all newborns, it certainly means much more to the premature. Since sucking skills are not developed enough, methods such as tube feeding can be applied in the neonatal care unit. Or when you come home from the hospital, in addition to breast milk, you can feed your baby with premature baby formulas recommended by your doctor.

The first rule of premature baby care: Love

When you are discharged from the hospital and come home, a new period begins for you and your baby. You are most likely worried about how you should protect it, put it to sleep, wash it, and whether you can monitor its health.

Don’t worry, the article has everything you need to know. You can also learn about kangaroo care, which plays an important role in the development of premature babies, from this article, click here: Everything You Need to Know About Premature Baby Care at Home

But let’s say this; love and closeness is what premature babies need most. Trust your maternal instincts, keep your love and hug your baby.

Inci Candemir’s painting will help you a lot to understand how your baby is feeling.

I am peaceful, balanced and you can approach me	I’m confused and stressed
Heartbeat, respiration and oxygen level are stable.	Heartbeat, respiration and oxygen levels fluctuate and are unstable.
Skin color is homogeneous, healthy and normal.	Appears pale or dark complexion.
There is balanced digestion.	His digestion is unstable.
There is a harmonious transition and balanced demeanor between his movements.	Performs exaggerated stretching and stretching movements.
Soft motor movements, face, arms and legs appear relaxed.	Consciousness occurs at short intervals.
Has a calm, alert and alert look.	It stretches backwards.
Relates to objects or people, tries to focus.	He hiccups and averts his gaze.
Can grasp finger and tube.	There is a state of lethargy or excessive, unremitting activity.
His fingers are shaped into fists, softly closed against his palm.	She cries and appears restless.
He has a reflex to suck his hand, palm, pacifier.	He makes a stop sign by separating his fingers.
Mimics that examine the environment and are close to a smile are seen.	Mouth expression is “O” shaped, tongue sticking out.

premature baby crying

The baby cries, but this is more common in premature babies. This is because their nervous system is not fully developed. We are sure that he will overcome this situation by learning why his baby is crying in time, without panicking.