Preemie Babies Information
The infant known as a preemie baby – one born before the 37th week can have a lot of health problems. As well, it is best to keep in mind that being a premature infant is one of the leading causes in infant deaths.
So it is important to do what you can to carry your little one(s) full term. Let me go into some statistics and then what you can do to prevent preterm infants.
Some statistics are that when one continues to carry an infant between week 23 and week 24 that it increases the baby’s chance of survival by three to four percent per day! And between week 24 and 26 it increases chance of survival by 2 to 3 percent. (1)
Almost 9 out of 10 preterm infants born at 28 weeks will survive, but health problems abound such as eye and hearing difficulties, feeding and digestion issues, respiratory issues and cerebral palsy may manifest.
Causes For A Preemie Baby
If the mother has a small uterus, it will restrict growth of the fetus and it may need to be delivered early.
A placenta problem or cervix problem could also cause preterm birth.
Drug abuse, certain medications or alcohol use will also cause problems and may lead to preemie babies.
Thirdly, things such as a stroke experienced by the mother, some kind of trauma to the mother or even some illnesses the mother experiences could cause preterm birth.
Fourth, If there are two or more fetuses, there is just not going to be room for more than one as there would be for one fetus. This sometimes leads to preemie babies, as they can not be carried full term.
And there may be other complications or illnesses not mentioned here.
Want a healthy baby carried full term? Some of the things mentioned below will help you do so and are in your hands:
- Talk to your doctor about what medications to stop or cut back on when pregnant.
- Stop taking street drugs, smoking and drinking alcohol, if you do so.
- Have a healthy pregnancy diet – include plenty of green leafy vegetables for better nutrition for yourself and your growing fetus. Cut way back on your sugar and fast food consumption.
- Get some Pregnancy exercise in each day, even if it is just stretching or going for a walk. There are particular pelvic exercises that will help you have an easier birth.
- Drink plenty of water ( not juice or soda ) About 2 pints for every 50 pounds of weight daily works well.
Bringing The Little One Home
As other articles on the site point out, your premature infant may have to stay at the hospital for a while because of a preterm birth, but work with your doctor and when you get it home check in about keeping track of it’s weight.
Your Doctor or Nurse Practitioner may suggest an Infant scale such as the Ultrascale baby scale for you to be using. With use, this stops the worry you might have over your little one gaining enough weight. So check that out today as well.