6 features of nursing a premature baby
Being born is a huge stress for a baby. His whole life at one point changes dramatically. Within a few weeks, the child will have to learn to breathe, eat, move and react to external factors in a completely different way than he was used to in the process of intrauterine development. For children born prematurely, the complexity increases many times over. They are weakened; their bodies are not quite ready for such drastic changes. Therefore, premature babies need constant medical supervision and especially careful care.
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Frequent feedings
For normal growth and development, babies need a certain amount of nutrients. According to modern concepts, feeding does not have to be on a schedule. If the baby is sucking normally and gaining weight, it can be applied to the breast on demand, that is, at those moments when he shows signs of hunger (worries, whimpers, sticks out his tongue, makes smacking sounds). In the first weeks of life, the baby eats 8-10 times a day with intervals of 2.5-3 hours.
A newborn born prematurely requires more careful monitoring. He quickly gets tired and stops sucking without getting the right amount of milk. In addition, due to weakness, he may not show signs of hunger and sleep, conserving strength, instead of attracting the attention of mom. Therefore, it is still recommended to feed premature babies by the hour - at least in the first 2-3 months of life.
These babies often need a high protein diet. There are special supplements that are diluted in a small amount of breast milk and given with a nipple bottle or spoon.
Comfortable cradle
Over the past decades, the concept of what should be a baby crib has undergone major changes. According to pediatricians, rectangular beds with hard mattresses widespread in our country are not suitable for newborns. It is not for nothing that the child strives to sleep in the embryo position: it is physiological, comfortable and cozy. Restriction of freedom in this sense is recognized as harmful.
For a premature baby, sleep in the position that he kept in the mother's womb is an urgent need. His body has not yet adapted to maintain a constant temperature, and the position of the embryo allows you to rationally spend energy on heating. Parents should attend to the purchase of a special cradle that allows the baby to sleep in a comfortable position. You also need to pay attention to the clothes: they should be multi-layered and sewn from natural hypoallergenic materials, cover the legs and arms of the child, as they are very cold.
Vitamin D intake
Babies living in mid-latitudes are deficient in vitamin D, especially during the winter season. Experts believe that for its production even in summer, when the flow of ultraviolet rays is maximum, babies need to be outdoors for at least 8 hours a day. This is not always possible. This is why it is recommended that a child in the first year of life receive additional doses of vitamin D in order to avoid the development of rickets.
Premature babies grow and develop very quickly, catching up with their peers, and need more vitamins. Of course, only a qualified specialist should deal with their selection and dosage.
The right approach to physical activity
Premature babies have a high risk of a serious fundus pathology - retinopathy. Excessive physical activity is one of the factors. Pediatricians advise parents to be extremely careful when doing gymnastics with such babies.
Ordinary children are recommended to start swimming, gymnastics and general massage from the first weeks of life, but for a child born prematurely, these procedures can be dangerous. The beginning of classes is postponed until the moment when the child gains strength and reaches a certain weight.
Danger of colds
Almost all children under the age of 2 are infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The disease it causes is similar to the common cold. It is manifested by coughing, fever, nasal congestion. For a full-term baby, the disease is not dangerous: all unpleasant symptoms go away on their own within 1-2 weeks.
Babies born prematurely carry the disease much harder: they often have respiratory failure, recovery takes longer and there is a high risk of complications, especially from the lungs. To protect these children, they are injected with a specially developed drug consisting of ready-made antibodies to the virus (the so-called passive immunization). Unfortunately, the procedure only provides protection for a month, after which the drug has to be re-injected.
Individual vaccination schedule
In accordance with the national immunization calendar, every Russian child must receive more than 10 preventive vaccinations before the age of 1.5 years. Each procedure is carried out at a specific time.
Premature babies have an increased risk of complications, so for them the vaccination time is usually shifted to a later date. The pediatrician draws up an individual immunization schedule for each child.
The birth of premature babies upsets and frightens parents. Many believe that such babies are doomed to be painful, often lagging behind in development from their peers. Fortunately, this is not true.
A child born prematurely remains under the supervision of doctors for some time. The decision about his discharge from the hospital is made only when the baby is able to eat on his own, breathe well and maintain a constant body temperature. With careful home care and proper attention from specialists, such children in the future do not have serious health problems and are no different from their peers.
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Maria Kulkes Medical journalist About the author
Education: First Moscow State Medical University named after I. M. Sechenov, specialty "General Medicine".
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