It’s ironic how, even though they come into the world early, most premature babies start life behind the rest of the babies in the hospital. For example, they’re usually smaller than full-term babies, and many of their organs and systems are far less developed. Of course, as the parent of a preemie, you no doubt … Read more
Preemie or not, there will soon come a day when you have to decide what your precious baby will be sleeping in at home. Basically there are two choices; a crib or a bassinet. There’s a bit of difference between the two, actually, so knowing those differences is very important. That’s especially true during these … Read more
Whether they’re a micro-preemie or were only born a couple of weeks early, there’s one thing that your preemie needs to do most of all in order to leave the NICU; eat on their own. Without the ability to do that, they can’t get the nutrition they need to start getting stronger, store body fat, … Read more
While there are many differences between a preemie and a full-term baby, there’s one thing that both have in common; they need to be born. Obviously, a preemie is born early while a full-term infant is born on or close to the normal 40 week gestation period. But the question of how, specifically, preemies are … Read more
Medical costs today in the United States are, in a word, ridiculous. A single trip to the emergency room can easily top $10,000 for something as simple as a broken arm. Visits to your medical doctor are no better, leading many people to avoid it even if they’re having a health issue. However, if you … Read more
When a baby is born prematurely, many of its major organs are still immature. From their skin to their heart, brain, lungs, and more, your preemie simply isn’t prepared for life in the outside world. That includes their eyes, which, unfortunately, can have quite a few problems due to being born too early. Even worse, … Read more
As the mother or father of a preemie, you may be wondering why your tiny little bundle of joy needs to be in an incubator. Of course, the main reason is that they decided to come into the world a few weeks too early. That puts them at a distinct disadvantage compared to babies who … Read more
If one thing presents the biggest challenge for your preemie, it’s that their heart isn’t 100% prepared for the outside world. (Of course, practically every other organ and system in their body isn’t 100% prepared.) Being one of the most important organs in the human body, doctors take a keen interest in your preemie’s heart … Read more
Welcome back to our ongoing series about the different weeks of premature labor. In it, we’ve been looking at the difference between preemies based on how early they decided to leave your warm, safe womb. Today we’re focusing on preemies born at 30 weeks, which makes them ‘very preterm.’ As we’ve seen in our series, … Read more
The longer they stay in your belly, the better! Frankly, having a baby prematurely is not the best scenario for neither you nor your baby. For your preemie, it means many extra challenges and time in the hospital. That includes a stay in the neonatal intensive care unit, away from you and their dad too. … Read more