Premature babies, particularly those born before 37 weeks in the womb or those
who are very small, need extra help to survive outside the protective environment
of their mother’s womb. Some parts of their bodies have not had time to fully
develop, and so they may have special needs.
Premature babies often have difficulties breathing, feeding, and controlling
their internal body temperature:
- Temperature: Placing babies in an incubator, or hot-cot, will maintain
their temperature. - Breathing: Preemies may have breathing problems because their lungs
are not fully developed. Babies with breathing problems often need to receive extra oxygen. Using an oxygen hood, a ventilator or respirator, and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) are ways of ensuring the baby receives enough oxygen. - Feeding: Very tiny premature babies cannot suck, swallow, and breathe
well enough in the beginning to meet their needs. Many of them would use more
energy trying to suck and swallow than they would get from the milk. This is
why your baby’s first calories will be given through an intravenous line (also
called an IV line) or a fine tube through the nose or mouth into the stomach
(also called a feeding tube).
Because of these special needs, many preemies may need to be admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
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