Three weeks ago he had gone for his last check-up after suffering some punctures or punctures. At that time, her gynecologist had told her about the need to stop working and rest, avoiding any type of stress. Despite having rigorously followed her instructions… it seemed that Natalia was in a hurry to arrive!
Blanca states that “At that moment it was not easy to accept that my baby had grown so far ahead and was a premature girl… with everything that that entailed”. However, currently the little girl has just turned 5 years old and everything has become a memory that remains in the memory of Blanca and Antonio.
When is a baby considered premature?
It is considered thata baby is premature when your birth occurs before completing 37 weeks of gestationtaking into account that the duration of a full-term pregnancy ranges between 37 and 42 weeks and being post-term or post-mature when the birth occurs later.
Depending on the week of gestation in which the birth occurs,four types of premature babies:
- Premature mild, almost full term: they are born between weeks 35 and 37 of gestation.
- Premature moderate: They are born between 32 and 35 weeks of gestation.
- Very premature: They are born between weeks 28 and 32 of gestation.
- Premature extremes: born at less than 28 weeks of gestation.
To get an idea of the evolution and possible complications, you must combine the age factor (weeks of pregnancy) with the birth weight factor (less than 2.5kg, less than 1.5kg or less than 1kg).
Causes of the birth of premature children
After Natalia’s birth, one of Blanca’s great concerns was knowing the reason why her baby had been born so soon. In one way or another he feltguiltyfor this advance in gestation.“Have I done something wrong?” “Should I have moved less?”were some of the questions that were going through his head. He came to feel guilty for believing he had neglected something in the nutrition in pregnancy.
However thecauses that influence premature births are diffuse and varied. Smoking or drinking alcohol, drug use or stress can be some factors to take into account in order to prevent premature births.
Other external causes that affect these cases are multiple pregnancies, assisted reproduction techniques such as in vitro fertilization, suffer gestational diabetes and/or high blood pressure, heart problems, vaginal infections or teenage pregnancies.
Since what month is there clear survival?
The birth in premature babies It occurs when your organs are still immature since their development has not been completed completely, something that makes them more vulnerable. HoweverNot all premature babies have the same risk of complications. Babies born between 22 and 25 weeks are at what is known as the “limit of viability.” From the week 24there is a critical moment since the weight is very low and his immune system does not function properly but all the important organs are formed. Every day that passes from this week is important since the survival rate increases significantly, being around 82% in week 25, 85% in week 26 and 95% in week 27.. Nevertheless the hospital stay will be long(at least until week 38 or the expected date of delivery) ensuring that food intake works, weight increases constantly and organic functions stabilize. Hence it is advisable to be proactive with hospital bag. Fortunately the survival rate is increasing thanks to medical advances and neonatal ICUs .
Care of premature babies
How do I take care of my premature child?
Helplessness and uncertainty are protagonists in these cases. At first it is essential that the baby receives special care from professionals that help you with vital functions such as body temperature, eating or breathing. Here you can read more about breastfeeding.
“And in the meantime, what can I do for my baby?”,you will think. Firstkeep calm and seek all the truthful information possibleto break with uncertainty and fears in pregnancy. Whenever you can spend as much time as possible with your child to bond, do skin-to-skin and follow the recommendations of health personnel. The support of your partner at this time is of utmost importance, you know.how pregnancy affects the couple. Once at home, it is vital to try to understand their needs progressively and share each of your concerns with the professionals who are following you up.
Take care of myself to be able to take care of
The birth of a premature baby is a highly stressful process for the dads. Added to the fear and uncertainty is the anxiety and pain of seeing how the baby is taken to a room where they will probably have to “fill it with cables” to help it perform its vital functions.
“It hurt me to see her so small, surrounded by machines and feel so fragile, not being able to do everything that we had stipulated before her birth and trying to be strong so that Blanca would not suffer anymore”says Antonio. Yes, in this stressful situation we know that our absolute priority is the baby, but as Blanca thought when her strength was failing:“How will I take care of my baby if the condition I am in prevents me from doing so?”
Hence the absolute and resounding importance of theself-careand to give importance to emotional health even when our own person is at the bottom of our “daily to-do” list. At these times, when the baby needs more from its parents, it is vital try to eat and rest the right way even though the stress of the situation makes it difficult. In addition to emotional management,social support and acceptance of help are essential.
Evolution of the premature child
To know the development of premature babies it is necessary to mark on the calendartwo important days: the day they are born(official day in your chronological age)and the day of the estimated delivery date. By calculating the difference between these two dates, the “corrected age” can be established, which will be the age that will give an idea of the way in which the baby is reaching common developmental milestones (when he or she begins to gaze, crawl, the first word, etc.). Various research is currently being carried out to increase and treat both the survival and the possible problems derived from premature children. There is a continuous search for methods and strategies to guarantee good long-term health.
At SingularMom our priority is you because we know that if you are well, your baby will be too.
We are fully aware of the physical, physiological and psychological changes you are facing. Our goal is to offer you the answers and exercises so that you can fully enjoy your pregnancy consciously and with the comfort and security that being able to do it from home gives you.
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