Thursday 17 May 2018

Coping with a premature baby

                                                    Then .........

Born too soon

At the end of May, our little preemie granddaughter will celebrate her first birthday. Still tiny, she has made good progress in spite of setbacks and some of the complications caused by prematurity.

A premature baby is born before 36 weeks. Prematurity is usually caused by pregnancy problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, placental problems, trauma, infections, a weak cervix (mouth of the womb), multiples (twins or triplets), the mother’s age and sometimes, for unknown reasons.

Prematurity is stressful for parents, traumatising for baby and demanding on the medical team. This team includes the paediatrician, neonatal nursing sisters and other specialists such as physiotherapists, neurologists and dietitians.

The high-care unit is a busy place with people, equipment, lights and incubators. It’s frightening when parents see their tiny baby covered with tubes, drips and monitor leads. Visiting is limited to parents only. Strict hygiene is essential for infection control. Hands must be washed and parents are gowned and masked. Mothers are encouraged to start expressing breast milk even when she only has colostrum (first milk).

The nursing staff in neonatal high-care units are dedicated to their preemies and empathetic with parents. They should take the time to explain what the equipment is for, the treatment plan and any progress their baby is making. Parents can spend weeks and even months at their baby’s bedside, and a good relationship between the medical staff and the parents goes a long way to helping parents stay positive. This helps them to bond with their baby, and mom to make enough milk to feed her baby through a tube.

Anxious parents want to know if their baby will survive, and if their baby will be normal. They also have a life outside the hospital – a job, a family and other responsibilities. Parents are often plagued with question from family and friends when they themselves don’t know the answers. Mother’s especially are afraid to voice her fears – did I do something wrong, am I being punished, is God teaching me a lesson?

When the big day comes for parents to take their baby home, excited as they may be, they’re also hesitant and apprehensive because they won’t have the security of nursing staff to help them. It helps when it’s not their first baby – but it’s doubly-scary when this little preemie is the couple’s first baby and they’re not familiar with baby do’s and don’ts!

Parents with a preemie need to understand that it’s normal to have to deal with:

Overwhelming feelings of not coping
Dealing with overanxious grandparents
Being super-sensitive about what people say
Worrying about not ‘bonding’ with their baby
Delayed milestones and unexpected medical setbacks.
   
Coping tips:

Ask questions while your baby is still in hospital
Don’t consult ‘Dr Google’ – ask your paediatrician
Don’t miss follow-up appointments
Immunise your baby
Don’t hesitate to phone your paediatrician if you are worried about anything
Take pictures
Communicate with family and friends. They’re often hesitant to start a conversation or to ask questions in case these offend you
Celebrate your baby’s birth.

                                                                            ........and now!