Parenting Preemies


What to Do If You Have Premature Labor or Your Baby Is Born Too Soon









The Signs of Premature Labor


Immediate intervention can delay delivery, if the signs of labor are recognized:


  • Contractions (the abdomen tightens like a fist) every 10 minutes or more often.
     

  • Change in vaginal discharge (bleeding, or leaking of amniotic fluid).
     

  • Pelvic pressure (the feeling that the baby has "dropped").
     

  • Low, dull backache.
     

  • Menstrual-like or abdominal cramps (with or without diarrhea).

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    From The Parent Review


    While most babies wait to be born until weeks 38 to 42 of pregnancy, when they are ready for life outside the womb, other babies arrive long before they're expected, sometimes after just 25 weeks' gestation. These premature babies - and their parents - need special care and support.


    Delaying Delivery


    Little is known about why preterm labor occurs. While certain risk factors are known, any woman can give birth prematurely, and every pregnant woman needs to know the signs of early labor (see "The Signs of Premature Labor").


    If a woman suspects labor has begun long before her baby is due, the first step is to call her healthcare provider immediately. Often, delivery can be delayed for crucial days or even weeks with medications and restricted activity or bed rest. If early delivery is inevitable, steroids administered to the mother speed the maturity of the baby's lungs. Helping the lungs to mature as quickly as possible reduces the risk of respiratory problems, one of the most serious complications of premature birth.


    Caring for Preemies


    All parents look forward to holding their newborn baby and making that first powerful connection with their child. Parents of preterm babies, however, may need to wait many hours or days before they are able to hold their newborn in their arms. Most premature infants will stay in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) anywhere from a day to months before going home. The care they receive in the NICU is guided by their gestational age, birth weight, the maturity of their lungs and overall health.


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