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Preemie Spotlight: Tina, Born at 25 Weeks in 1984

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:43:40 +0000

Today's preemie spotlight features Tina, a baby girl born 3 1/2 months early in 1984. Although Tina was born very early and weighed less than 2 pounds at birth, she is now a beautiful woman who is thriving.

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Vaginal Births Better for Preemies Than C-Sections

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:20:40 +0000

Many modern babies are delivered by cesarean section, particulary preemies. About half of all preemies are delivered by c-section, compared to about a third of full term babies. A new study, presented in Dallas last week at at the annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, suggests that cesarean delivery may not be what's best for premature babies. Preemies studied, especially those who were small for their gestational age, or SGA, had up to a 30% greater chance of having respiratory distress syndrome if they were delivered surgically than if their moms had a vaginal birth.

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Preemie Spotlight: Nolan and Delaynie

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:13:43 +0000

I've got 2 new preemie stories for you this week!

Nolan Michael was a late preterm baby born at 36 weeks, after 7 long weeks of bedrest for mom. He's now 10 weeks old and is home with his family, including a big sister who was also born early.

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Fragile Beginnings Book Review

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:54:31 +0000

Thank you to Beacon Press, who sent me a copy of a wonderful new book for parents of premature babies. The book, Fragile Beginnings, was written by an obstetrician specializing in high risk pregnancies who is also the father of a premature baby born at 26 weeks. Dr. Adam Wolfberg takes us on a journey that begins during his residency, when his wife Kelly gives birth to their daughter Larissa at only 26 weeks gestation. We share the family's highs and lows as Larissa is diagnosed with a severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), and wait along with the family for the full extent of Larissa's injuries to become apparent over time.

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Preemie Spotlight: Emily Tolentino

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:20:27 +0000

Today's Preemie Spotlight features an Arizona teenager who was born at 24 weeks. Emily Tolentino weighed only a pound at birth and was given only a 5% chance of survival. During her 5 1/2 months in the NICU, Emily suffered an intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), a serious complication of prematurity, but you'd never know it now. This 8th grader is a cheerleader who makes good grades, and her family is very proud of her.

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What is Developmental Care in the NICU?

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:14:44 +0000

If you've ever visited a premature baby in the NICU, you may feel like the NICU nurses you came in contact with were very controlling about how visitors interact with NICU patients. Parents may be told when to hold their babies and how to touch them, therapists are told to come back later if a baby is sleeping - even doctors are asked to reposition the baby exactly how they were before an exam. Although NICU nurses may seem a little overzealous about protecting their small patients, they know that good developmental care is important for sick and premature babies' growth and development.

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FAQs About Reflux in Babies Born Premature

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:14:02 +0000

Gastroesophageal reflux, or "reflux" for short, is a very common problem in premature babies, both in the NICU and at home. Reflux in babies is a frustrating problem that can be hard to diagnose and harder to treat. If your baby has reflux, you'll need to have patience as you work to understand how reflux affects your baby and how you can best help your baby to cope.

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Increasing Milk Supply While Pumping for Your Preemie

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:00:30 +0000

When your baby is in the NICU, pumping breastmilk is one of the most important things you can do to help your baby to grow and thrive. Some moms have an abundant milk supply right from the start, but other moms struggle to pump enough milk for their growing baby. If you're having trouble pumping, try not to get discouraged. Taking extra care of yourself by resting well and drinking enough fluids, combined with having the right equipment and the right technique, can help you to increase your milk supply.

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Caffeine Therapy Safe 5 Years Later

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:32:14 +0000

Apnea of prematurity is a common compication of premature birth. In apena of prematurity, babies stop breathing for a brief period of time - they seem to just forget to breathe. During an apneic spell, the heart rate and oxygen level may fall. The baby will usually begin to breathe again without help, but might need a nudge or a few rescue breaths to start breathing again.

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Preemie Hats and Blankets to Knit or Crochet

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 06:01:56 +0000

If you're crafty and your New Year's resolutions included being more charitable, then knitting or crocheting hats and blankets for your local NICU might be a wonderful way to make a new family's day brighter. Check with a NICU near you to see what their needs are. In my NICU, we always love getting hats (especially in the 4 pound baby range) and quilts or blankets. We try to donate a quilt or blanket to every family, to decorate baby's incubator and to commemorate how far they've come, and baby hats help little babies stay warm during the transition from incubator to open crib.

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