When you’re expecting a baby, you’re usually prepared to take care of your child once they're born after their due date. However, when your child is premature, care changes slightly and you should know how to care for a premature child. It’s fairly common that twins or multiple births can result in premature birth, so it’s important to be prepared. Your pediatricians at Raleigh Children and Adolescents Medicine in Raleigh, NC, can explain premature newborn care and the importance of knowing what to do to care for your child.

Caring for Your Premature Newborn

You may notice that your baby cries softly and might have a hard time breathing. A premature baby will usually stay in the hospital until they’re able to breathe and function on their own. Until then, they’ll most likely be in the hospital on a ventilator and you’ll have the help of the nursing staff and your doctors to make sure that your baby becomes healthy and happy.

One important thing to note about premature newborn care is that it can be stressful for the parents. It can be stressful to not be able to bring your child home for bonding time and you may feel stressed because you aren’t able to do things most parents can with a newborn. Even with your child in premature care, you can talk to your doctors about being active in their care and finding time to bond with your child. You can still hold your child at the hospital and learn to bond while they aren’t at home yet.

Contact Your Pediatrician Today!

Caring for a premature newborn may be a different experience than you expect, so it’s important to know what to expect from premature care. Contact your pediatricians at Raleigh Children and Adolescents Medicine in Raleigh, NC, to learn about premature newborn care. Call for more information today at (919) 781-7490.