One of the most concerning issues surrounding childbirth is premature babies. Any baby that is born before 37 weeks is considered to be premature, and this carries a fair amount of risks.
In bygone years, preterm babies had a very low chance of survival. However, today neonatal technology has become very advanced, and many infants that are not born to term will live. Many of them start life in an incubator, and sometimes it is touch and go, but as any parent of an active child born as a preemie will tell you that these difficult times do pass. At the same time, depending on the circumstances, some children are left with everlasting results from their preterm birth that will stay with them forever.
The Causes of Premature Birth
There is no uniform, underlying reason why some babies are not born to term. The causes vary, depending very much on the case. However, some factors can be avoided while others are a matter of chance.
Certain lifestyle behaviours can lead to premature birth, such as smoking, severe stress and overdoing things, drug abuse, drinking alcohol, or poor weight gain. If the mother has not received proper prenatal care, this can also be a cause. But very often, even if you are doing all the right things and are being as responsible as you possibly can, preterm birth can still occur.
These other causes include:
Problems with the structure of the uterus. If your cervix is incompetent and cannot hold the pregnancy long enough, for example, this could easily trigger off early labour.
Placenta problems. Sometimes, labour has to be induced early in certain cases of placenta previa or if the placenta suddenly gives way and the baby needs to be rescued to prevent a stillbirth.
Hormonal imbalances.
An infection.
Certain chronic illnesses.
Age can also be a factor. Women under 19 or over 35 are statistically more prone to premature birth. If you are expecting multiples, you are also more at risk from early labour.
Caring For Premature Infants
Premature newborns are usually born with a low birth weight. They lack body fat and their lungs tend to be underdeveloped as these are the last organs to grow inside the womb. This means that they need warmth and a germ-free environment in which to breathe. For this reason, they will usually spend the very beginning of their lives inside an incubator.
Premature babies grow at a faster rate than full-term infants because they need to catch up. Like other babies, the best source of nutrition for them is breast milk. However, breastfeeding premature infants can be quite difficult. This is because their little mouths are so small that they may find it hard to latch on and also because they are inside an incubator, which would make such contact problematic. The very best solution would be to pump your milk until the baby has grown a little and can leave the incubator. However, do not get too upset and disappointed if this doesn't work out. While some babies can take the breast after several weeks in an incubator, many get too used to bottles to be able to do that. And even if your baby does want to take the breast, you might find it hard to keep up your supply by pumping rather than nursing.
For this reason, many premature infants are given a formula that is fortified with extra calcium and phosphorous to promote growth.
Common Health Problems Among Premature Babies
Premature infants often face certain health problems, and depending on your individual case your doctor will guide you regarding care before and after you bring your little premature baby home.
For additional help, you may want to join a premature babies support group, where you can receive advice and encouragement from other parents.
