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Nursing premature babies: features, stages, weight
A premature baby is always born below normal weight – in the early stages of pregnancy, it can weigh 500 grams. Previously, such a child had no chance of survival. Today’s medicine allows nursing premature babies even in such cases.
Features of nursing children with a minimum body weight
Having been born prematurely, the child did not have time to receive the necessary development in the womb. Therefore, he himself cannot cope with the necessary functions. Doctors come to the rescue, placing it in a special plastic box.
Nursing premature babies is performed in a special box
There are a number of rules that must be followed while the child is there:
- At a very low weight, the box is kept closed for the first time. It must maintain a constant temperature suitable for the baby’s body and supply oxygen.
- Every 2-3 hours, it is necessary to turn the newborn over to avoid deformation of the head.
- All care activities are carried out directly in the box, you cannot take the child outside.
- The child is all the time connected to devices that record the general condition.
- Sterility must be observed, since the newborn is very susceptible to infections at this time.
In those maternity hospitals where there is no special equipment, separate beds are allocated for these children and they try to maintain the temperature with heating pads and warm wraps.
If the baby is very weak and cannot breastfeed, he is fed artificially. When he gets stronger, the mother can come and feed him, but at the same time maintain sterility as much as possible.
For a premature baby, the chances of growing up healthy depend on proper nursing in the first weeks of life.
The activities carried out are divided into three stages:
- The first takes place in the hospital. The baby is placed in a special box, in which the conditions are close to those in the mother’s abdomen. At this time, the main rule is to exclude hypothermia.
- On the second stage, the baby is transferred to the children’s hospital. The transfer time depends on the condition of the child. Here he receives the necessary care and is under the supervision of doctors.
- In the third stage, the main responsibility rests with the mother. The kid is discharged home, and his parents take care of him. But the nurse and pediatrician must visit him regularly and monitor the development.
You can bathe your baby no earlier than he gains weight above two kilograms. In order not to damage the delicate skin, the original lubricant is not removed.
As a result of correctly carried out activities, the child develops normally and over time catches up with his peers.