Do parents know how to take care of their premature babies at home?

It can be said that premature babies are the bravest warriors in this world. From birth, babies have to live in incubators separate from their parents to ensure to maintain their own fitness. However, after being raised in an incubator for a while, the baby will be discharged and returned home. At this point, parents need to fully prepare knowledge about how to care for premature babies at home.

If you are concerned about caring for your baby at home, remember that doctors will not recommend leaving the hospital when your baby is not ready. So, with good preparation and a thorough understanding of how to care for your premature baby at home, you should be fine too. In this article, aFamilyToday Health will equip you with the most basic knowledge to help you take care of your baby at home.

When are premature babies discharged?

Before being discharged from the hospital, premature babies must meet a number of basic requirements to ensure that they remain healthy and avoid possible problems. Usually, your doctor will evaluate your baby against the following three criteria:

The baby can maintain a stable body temperature or not. The doctor will conduct an assessment of the child's temperature in an incubator with the door open for about 24 to 48 hours. The assessment period can vary depending on the number of months of preterm birth and the specific health status of each baby.

Babies can breastfeed directly or drink from a bottle without using an extra tube.

Whether your baby is gaining weight steadily or not.

Most premature babies meet these conditions 2 to 4 weeks earlier than the doctor's expected discharge date. However, babies who have health problems, need to supplement oxygen with a machine or have had any surgery, often have to stay in the hospital for longer to get the best health care. .

Medical care needs after discharge from hospital

Many premature babies do not need specialized medical assistance after discharge. However, babies still have to be brought to the doctor for routine check-ups and evaluation. Premature babies also need to be fully immunized, often on the same schedule as full term babies. Consult with your doctor about vaccination schedules for your child .

Serious conditions that premature babies face during development

1. Apnea syndrome

Premature babies often have mild episodes of apnea, which can improve as they mature. Babies will not be discharged from the hospital if these breaths slow the heart rate or change the color of their face (blue around the mouth). The doctor will follow up until the baby has reached a steady breathing, usually at the age equivalent to 44 weeks pregnant.

Doctors will decide if the child needs to use monitoring devices. If necessary, the baby's parents must attend a training course on how to use the devices and learn how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for infants at home.

2. Other breathing problems

Premature babies often have breathing problems and require additional oxygen using a ventilator. Most premature babies who are discharged from the hospital will no longer need mechanical ventilation. However, some children with chronic lung syndromes, one of which is bronchopulmonary dysplasia, may require supplemental oxygen and medication for a long time after discharge from hospital. The necessary equipment and medicines must be installed and instructed to use them before parents take their children home.

3. Feeding problem

Premature babies need more care to keep up with term babies' development. However, you should not force your child to overeat because the baby's digestive system has not yet developed comprehensively. Some premature babies may have difficulty coordinating sucking, swallowing, and breathing while suckling, so you can temporarily feed your baby with a nasal tube or NG tube (the tube that goes through the nose to the stomach).

4. Infections

Like other body systems, a premature baby's immune system is not as complete as a term baby. This puts children at a very high risk of infection (especially the virus) after discharge from the hospital.

How to take care of a premature baby at home

In order for children to develop best and avoid dangerous conditions that can occur after discharge, parents need to equip themselves with knowledge about how to care for premature babies at home. Before doing these methods, check with your doctor to make sure they are right for your child.

1. Keep the surrounding environment clean

One of the first things you must do when taking care of premature babies at home is to ensure the hygiene of your surroundings, as premature babies are susceptible to infection.

Clean your baby's room daily with disinfectants like Dettol or Savlon.

Do not let people with fever, colds, coughs or other infections come into contact with your baby.

When someone comes to visit, ask them to wash their hands and disinfect them before approaching your baby.

Before handling premature babies, mothers must also sanitize their hands.

Caregivers should wear a mask and wear clean clothes to make sure breathing or other body odor does not affect the baby.

2. Personal hygiene and massage for the baby

In addition to cleaning the room and the surroundings, children also need to be assured of their own personal hygiene. However, because baby skin is quite fragile and vulnerable, you need to be very careful when cleaning your baby.

Using massage oils suitable for the baby's skin, coconut oil is often recommended by doctors for premature babies.

Bathe your baby daily with a sponge with warm, boiled water.

If possible, parents should directly massage the baby because the parental contact will help develop the connective structure in the baby's body and help the baby gain weight more easily.

In the cold season, you should apply moisturizing oil to your baby 2 times a day.

You should take care of your baby with the kangaroo method (skin-to-skin method) . This is a method often recommended by experts in preterm babies. This method helps keep the body warm, stabilizes the breathing rate, helps the baby sleep well and develops the child's mind and body.

3. Adjust the room temperature

You should keep your child's room temperature at a constant level. In the cold season, keep the room warm with a heater. Be sure to keep the heater at least 2 meters away from your baby. In the hot season, make sure the room is cool and well ventilated.

4. Breastfeed your baby

Another issue to keep in mind is home-feeding. Doctors often encourage mothers to breastfeed directly, however, if your baby has problems sucking or swallowing, you can also use aids to feed your baby.

You should feed your baby every 2-3 hours.

Give your baby the recommended amount of milk, try to breastfeed as much as possible.

Do not breastfeed while the baby is sleeping. You can wake your baby up by tickling his feet or rubbing lightly under the ears. Note: Carry out the movements gently because the baby's skin is very thin and vulnerable.

When breastfeeding, mothers should gently raise the baby's head higher than the belly to avoid overflow.

Burp your baby after each feed by gently patting your baby's back. During sleep, the baby's head should be raised above the body to avoid vomiting. You should place a soft cloth or thin towel (about 3 - 5cm thick) under the baby's head and chest.

Premature babies may not be able to directly suckle due to problems with sucking, swallowing and breathing, you can use a spoon or katori (a feeding aid device for babies). However, you should try to breastfeed directly, as this will be more beneficial for the baby's breastfeeding later.

You can use the machine to pump and feed your baby with a bottle or spoon. However, it is important to ensure that all items are sterilized before and after use.

5. See a doctor

Don't forget any regular doctor appointments. If you notice unusual or uncontrollable conditions, you should immediately contact your doctor for prompt instructions. Remember also to get your child vaccinated according to the schedule prescribed by the doctor.

Premature babies are very frail and need special care. You should talk to your doctor about ways to care for your baby at home and talk to them regularly so that you can grasp and control your baby's condition. When trying a new method of care, consult your doctor before applying it to avoid possible risks. aFamilyToday Health hopes that this article has provided you with safe and effective ways to care for your premature baby!