Welcome to the world of parenting. Here you can learn about your newborn’s development week by week and get ideas about toys and activities to share with your new baby. We have advice on the best way to keep your baby safe , as well as tried and tested tips for soothing a fussy baby
The premature baby - Coming home
Premature infants are ready to come home when they can maintain their temperature outside an incubator, feed well and experience good growth, and be free of periods of not breathing for a week or so.
In the days immediately before discharge, a number of tasks need to be accomplished. Hearing screenings, immunization administration, and circumcisions (only if parents request) must be done. Many units perform a ‘car seat test’ to ensure that the baby can tolerate the car seat the family is providing. Most infants will require multivitamin preparations and some will require other medications. Parents must learn to administer them before discharge.
Occasionally, a premature infant may need to be discharged with an apnea monitor or extra oxygen. Learning to use the monitor or oxygen equipment must be accomplished and often requires staying in the hospital overnight for one or more nights before going home. An important gift to give a premature baby is to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for infants. All NICUs provide classes in infant CPR; some require attendance before discharge.
Parents will need to select a pediatrician or family physician before discharge. NICU staff can be helpful in the process of selection if parents are unfamiliar with choices. It’s a good idea to make an appointment to interview the baby’s future physician before the baby’s discharge to make sure that parents and physician share common values.
On the day of discharge, the NICU staff will review the hospitalization and provide a copy of the discharge summary. Staff will also review care after discharge and provide a medication list and feeding directions. Questions about the temperature of the home, how to dress the baby, bathing, and visitors are all fair game for parents to bring up when meeting with the discharging staff member.
Tip: Once at home, it’s a good idea for parents to try to keep the same schedule for the baby as was in place in the hospital. As the baby adjusts to the new surroundings, parents can modify the routines to match their own.
This article is an extract from our book: Caring for your newborn - How to enjoy the first 60 days as a new mom
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By Dr Robert Dillard - Dr Dillard is the Professor of Pediatrics at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He is the Medical Director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Sara Lee Center for Women’s Health at Forsyth Medical Center.
Some NICUs also require that premature babies reach a certain
‘gestational’ age after birth, such as 34 or 35 weeks or weigh a
minimum weight.
In the days immediately before discharge, a number of tasks need to be accomplished. Hearing screenings, immunization administration, and circumcisions (only if parents request) must be done. Many units perform a ‘car seat test’ to ensure that the baby can tolerate the car seat the family is providing. Most infants will require multivitamin preparations and some will require other medications. Parents must learn to administer them before discharge.
Occasionally, a premature infant may need to be discharged with an apnea monitor or extra oxygen. Learning to use the monitor or oxygen equipment must be accomplished and often requires staying in the hospital overnight for one or more nights before going home. An important gift to give a premature baby is to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for infants. All NICUs provide classes in infant CPR; some require attendance before discharge.
Parents will need to select a pediatrician or family physician before discharge. NICU staff can be helpful in the process of selection if parents are unfamiliar with choices. It’s a good idea to make an appointment to interview the baby’s future physician before the baby’s discharge to make sure that parents and physician share common values.
On the day of discharge, the NICU staff will review the hospitalization and provide a copy of the discharge summary. Staff will also review care after discharge and provide a medication list and feeding directions. Questions about the temperature of the home, how to dress the baby, bathing, and visitors are all fair game for parents to bring up when meeting with the discharging staff member.
Tip: Once at home, it’s a good idea for parents to try to keep the same schedule for the baby as was in place in the hospital. As the baby adjusts to the new surroundings, parents can modify the routines to match their own.
This article is an extract from our book: Caring for your newborn - How to enjoy the first 60 days as a new mom
By Dr Robert Dillard - Dr Dillard is the Professor of Pediatrics at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He is the Medical Director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Sara Lee Center for Women’s Health at Forsyth Medical Center.
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