A baby is considered premature when it is born before 9 months, which is between 38 and 42 weeks of gestation, that is, before completing 37 weeks of gestation, and may have less than 1500 kg of body weight.
As a premature baby’s body is not yet developed, he or she may need to stay in the hospital in a heated crib or incubator, oxygen equipment, have a feeding tube and receive greater hygiene care to avoid infections.
As soon as the baby gains weight, learns to breathe and breastfeed alone, the pediatrician is released and can go home. From this moment on, the baby can feed and receive the same care as another child. However, if the baby has a health problem, parents should adapt care according to the pediatrician’s instructions.
It is important to remember that the characteristics of sleep, speech, favorite games and feeding occur at different rates for each baby. Therefore, in cases of doubt about the baby’s development, it is recommended to consult a pediatrician.
Baby weight
The table below indicates the baby’s ideal weight at 37 weeks, as well as other important parameters such as height and head circumference, according to the World Health Organization:
If the baby presents values above or below these ranges, it is important to consult a pediatrician to assess the child’s development.
Baby development
Premature babies may present difficulties with growth and cognitive development, requiring better monitoring from the health center and greater attention from parents and family.
However, developmental delays can be corrected until the child is 2 years old, who then begins to experience the developmental leaps expected for their age. Understand better what the baby’s developmental leaps are and what are the main ones.
To stimulate the baby’s senses and motor coordination, parents or guardians can talk in a soft, calm voice and looking into the eyes; sing some songs; give massages; and vary the child’s positions.
Does the baby need to be hospitalized?
Not all premature babies need to be hospitalized. However, as the child’s body is not yet fully developed, he or she may have difficulty swallowing, breathing or have a more delicate immune system. Therefore, some babies may need to stay in the hospital for a period of time. Understand better when and why the baby needs to be hospitalized.
When the baby is discharged
Normally, the baby is released to go home when he reaches a minimum weight of 2 kg, showing weight gain for at least 3 consecutive days, until his organs function well, without the help of equipment, and he is able to feed himself without the use of probes.
The baby must undergo 3 consultations during the first week after hospital discharge, where the first is carried out in the maternity ward where he was born, 48 hours after discharge, and the remaining consultations are carried out in health centers or during visits by family health teams. at home.
When to vaccinate premature babies
The vaccination program for premature babies is recommended from the first days of life, with the exception of the BCG vaccine, which should only be administered when the baby weighs more than 2 kg.
However, in cases where the mother has hepatitis B, the pediatrician may decide to vaccinate before the baby reaches 2 kg. In these cases, the vaccine must be divided into 4 doses instead of 3, with the second and third doses should be taken one month apart and the fourth, six months after the second.
How to take care of your baby at home
Caring for a premature baby at home can be challenging and create a lot of anxiety and worry for parents, but it is important to remember that the baby was medically discharged because he is better and more developed. Therefore, most care is similar to that for full-term babies (born after 37 weeks).
1. How to avoid respiratory problems
During the first 6 months of life, premature babies may experience breathing difficulties, as their lungs are still developing. Furthermore, attention should be paid to the increased risk of sudden death syndrome. To reduce this risk it is important:
- Lay the baby on his or her back, placing the baby’s feet against the bottom of the crib;
- Use light sheets and blankets in the baby’s crib;
- Avoid using pillows in the baby’s crib;
- Keep the baby’s crib in the parents’ room until at least 6 months of age;
- Do not sleep with the baby in bed or on the sofa;
- Avoid having heaters or air conditioning near the baby’s crib.
Furthermore, if the baby has any respiratory problems, it is important to follow the instructions of the pediatrician or nurses.
2. How to ensure the correct temperature
Premature babies have more difficulty maintaining a balanced body temperature and, therefore, can get cold quickly after a bath or become very hot when they have a lot of clothes on, for example. To check if the baby is cold, you can use a thermometer or touch the child’s skin and see if it is cold, hot or warm and see if there are purple spots on the feet, hands and lips.
If the baby is cold, with a temperature below 36ºC, it is recommended to wrap the baby up, putting on a hat, coat, shoes and, if necessary, covering him with a blanket.
3. How to reduce the risk of infections
Premature babies have a poorly developed immune system and, therefore, in their first months of age are at greater risk of infection. However, there are some precautions that help reduce the chances of infections, which include:
- Wash your hands after changing diapers, before preparing food and after going to the bathroom;
- Vaccinate the baby as recommended by the pediatrician;
- Ask visitors to wash their hands before coming into contact with the baby;
- Avoid contact between the baby and people with the flu or cold;
- Avoid going with the baby to closed places with lots of people, such as shopping centers, supermarkets or parks;
- Prevent them from smoking indoors;
- Keep the house ventilated with doors and windows open.
Furthermore, if you need to leave the house, you should give preference to outdoor places with fewer people or at times when they are busier, such as squares and natural parks.
4. What the diet should be like
To correctly feed a premature baby, parents or guardians must receive guidance in the maternity ward, as it is common for the baby to be unable to breastfeed alone from the mother’s breast, needing to be fed through a small tube in a technique called relactation. See how relactation is done.
However, when the baby can latch on and suckle the mother’s breast, he can be fed directly from the breast. If he still cannot suckle the breast, you can also give the milk in a cup, and it is not recommended to use bottles.
As premature babies sleep a lot, it is important that the mother wakes them up and stimulates them during feedings, rubbing the nipple next to the baby’s mouth, for example.
Premature babies have greater caloric needs when compared to other children, because they grow and develop very quickly in the first months. They normally breastfeed every 2 or 3 hours, 8 to 12 times a day and the duration of breastfeeding varies according to each baby, some may breastfeed for 20 minutes on each breast and others for 10 minutes. It is important to know that when the baby is full, he will release the breast himself.
During breastfeeding, premature babies are slower and may become very tired. Therefore, it is important to take breaks during feedings so that the child can rest and resume breastfeeding.
The pediatrician may recommend the use of infant formula for some babies in cases where the mother is unable to breastfeed or when breastfeeding is contraindicated, such as in the case of contagious diseases or the use of some medications. The amount of formula must be indicated by the pediatrician and the meal interval must be 2 to 3 hours.
5. How is the baby’s sleep
Generally speaking, premature babies sleep well and many sleep more than full-term children and, therefore, need more stimulation. If your baby is switching from day to night, you can make some adjustments to the house at night to avoid waking him up, such as reducing noise, lighting and movement in the house when it’s close to bedtime.
If you need to feed your baby at night, try to only turn on a lamp and speak very quietly so as not to wake the baby.
