Special care of premature babies

by Me on February 9, 2014

Special care of premature babies at home

Room temperature and clothing
Premature and low birth-weight babies have a considerable reduced ability to maintain their body temperature.
Their room temperature should be kept at a comparatively higher level, which may be rather uncomfortable for adult members of the family.
In the winter, they must be well protected against the cold. The room may be kept warm with the help of a radiant heater.

The mother acts as a good, comfortable, uniform source of heat for the baby. As stated before, direct contact with the baby’s delicate skin must be avoided.

Feeding
Breast milk is best for a premature baby.
If the baby is unable to suck at the breast, breast milk should be expressed and given to him through a bottle with an extra soft teat. Alternatively, the expressed breast milk (or formula milk) can be given to the baby with a spoon or paladai ( a traditional spoon with a long and narrow spout).
Effort should be made to put the baby directly to the breast as soon as possible.Avoiding infection
In view of their deficient immune system and high susceptibility to infections, premature and low birth-weight babies need extra protective measures.

The number of visitors must be severely restricted. He should be offered only boiled and cooled water to drink, when needed. Strict aseptic precautions should be taken while handling and feeding him.

Vitamin and iron supplements They should be given iron supplements from the age of 6 weeks onward to prevent the development of anaemia.
The appropriate dose of a suitable iron preparation would be recommended by your doctor on the basis of the baby’s body weight.

Special care: how long?
Premature and low birth-weight babies need special care only till they attain a weight around 2.5 kg, subsequently, they should be handled like normal babies.
It is however desirable to monitor their development carefully and to watch out for any signs of abnormal behavior.
The baby should have regular periodic check-ups over the next few months to exclude the possibility of any physical or mental impairment.