Premature baby

A preterm birth may happen suddenly or after days or weeks of waiting. If you know you may deliver early, you can be better prepared.

During preterm labor, both you and your baby are considered high-risk. This means that you will have less freedom to move about and fewer choices about the birth.

Monitoring.

• You'll be on constant fetal heart monitoring. The monitor will limit your movement, but it's a good way for the doctor to learn how well your baby is doing.
• You'll also be checked regularly for changes in your heart rate, body temperature, and uterine contractions.

Medicines.

You can refuse pain medicine during preterm labor. But medicines such as antibiotics or corticosteroids can be important to ensure your infant's chances of good health after birth.

Delivery.

You'll probably deliver vaginally. But if your health or your baby's health is at risk, you may need a cesarean section (C-section).

Most infants born at 36 and 37 weeks' gestation are mature enough to go home from the hospital. But babies born earlier may need care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where they can be:

• Watched closely for infections and changes in breathing and heart rate.
• Kept warm in enclosed cribs called isolettes until they can maintain their body heat.
• Fed through a vein (intravenously) or through a tube in their nose, if needed. Tube-feeding continues until a baby is able to breathe, suck, and swallow and can take all feedings by breast or bottle.

Sick and very premature infants may need other treatments, depending on what problems they have. A baby who needs help breathing may have an oxygen tube or a machine, called a ventilator, that moves air in and out of the lungs. Some babies may need medicine or surgery.

To keep your baby warm

• Keep your home at an even, warm temperature, around 72°F. Keep your baby away from drafty areas, like open windows or air conditioning vents.
• Clothe your baby with at least two layers, such as a T-shirt and diaper under a gown or sleeper.
• Cover your baby's head with a knit hat.
• Wrap (swaddle) your baby in a blanket. When you swaddle your baby, keep the blanket loose around the hips and legs. If the legs are wrapped tightly or straight, hip problems may develop.
• Hold your baby as much as possible.

To feed your baby

• Follow your baby's feeding schedule. This will tell you how much your baby can eat and how often to nurse or bottle-feed. Do not go longer than 4 hours between feedings.
• Small feedings may help reduce spitting up. Talk to your doctor if your baby spits up a lot during or after feedings.
• If your baby has a feeding tube, follow instructions for its use and care. Your doctor or the hospital staff will show you how to use it.

For jaundice

• Watch your newborn for signs that jaundice is not going away or is getting worse. Undress your baby and look at their skin closely twice a day. In babies with jaundice, the skin and the whites of the eyes will be a brighter yellow. For dark-skinned babies, gently press on your baby's skin on the forehead, nose, or chest. Then when you lift your finger, check to see if the skin looks yellow.
• Make sure your baby is getting plenty of fluids. If you are not sure how much your baby should eat, ask your baby's doctor.
• Call your doctor if you notice signs that jaundice gets worse or does not go away.