By the time your premature baby is ready to go home from the hospital, most parents may think they've gotten through the bulk of the work. But home care of a premature baby is also very important. Assistant Child Health and Diseases Specialist. Assoc. Dr. Alper Özkılıç emphasized the importance of caring for premature babies.
Dr. Özkılıç said, “Concerns about the baby's weight gain and nutrition are usually about whether the baby will be breastfed or formula fed. The breastfeeding mother has to preserve her body stores. For this reason, the mother's body must be strong and she must be able to provide the baby with the necessary nutrition whenever she wants. Some premature babies may have to be fed through a tube passing through their nose for a while. Some premature babies may need oxygen when they go home. They need to be monitored frequently to ensure that their breathing does not stop. "This means having an oxygen tube, necessary hoses and other special equipment at home," he said.
Emphasizing that the baby's room should be clean and tidy, Dr. Özkılıç, “The room should preferably receive sunlight and the door should remain open. The room temperature should be set to 26 degrees, and over time, as the baby grows, it can be reduced to 22-24 degrees. "It should be ventilated for at least 15 minutes every day, and in the meantime the baby should be taken to another room," he said.
Premature babies are very quickly affected by light and sound
Dr. Özkılıç: “Premature babies tend to sleep; However, they are also more sensitive to stimuli than term babies. They quickly become irritable with any action when touched. They are easily affected by light and noise. Since growth hormone is secreted during sleep, provide the necessary environment for your baby to sleep adequately. Make sure that there is no excessive light, sound or noise in your baby's environment. During the day, you can play low-pitched music in his room that will relax him. If feeding takes too long, they may get tired and fall asleep. "You have to finish feeding within a certain period of time," he said.
Breast Milk Booster Can Be Used in Premature Babies
Dr. Özkılıç, “Premature babies gain an average of 15-30 grams per day. If there is no problem with the baby's weight gain, it should be breastfed several times a day at first, and then more frequently. Flour Don't worry, burping after each feeding will relax the baby. A formula called Eoprotin, known as a breast milk fortifier, can be used in breastfed babies. Express 30 cc of milk 3 times a day. Adding 1 scoop of eoprotin into it; You can give it to your baby with a spoon until your baby weighs 4 kg. "If your baby is taking premature formula, you do not need to use eoprotin," he informed.
Pay Attention to These Recommendations for Dressing a Premature Baby
Dr. said that dressing the premature baby is extremely important to prevent hypothermia. Özkılıç said, “At first, their clothes may be twice as thick as normal babies. Your clothes should be made of cotton, easy to wear, soft and with few stitches. Tags of clothes should be cut and washed with baby detergent (soap powder). In addition, the bed sheets and blankets to be used must be lint-free, easily washable and must be ironed. "By measuring the baby's body temperature in degrees several times a day in the first days at home after being discharged from the hospital, one can easily choose which clothes to wear for the baby," he said. Özkılıç said, “To prevent sudden infant death, prone or side sleeping positions should be avoided at home. Another point to consider regarding the baby's sleeping position at home or in the car seat is to prevent the head from coming forward. When the head is forward, premature babies easily fall into apnea. On the other hand, especially after feeding, elevating the head and body at a 30-45 degree incline from the waist prevents reflux and vomiting. "For this purpose, risers can be placed under the baby's bed to provide this slope," he said.
Premature Babies Over 6 Months Should Be Vaccinated During the Flu Season . Özkılıç said, “Babies born over 2 kilos are vaccinated in the same months as full-term babies. For example, whatever vaccinations are given to a 2-month-old baby born on time, your baby will be given the same vaccines 2 months after birth. Vaccination of babies born under 2 kilos should be postponed until they weigh 2 kg. Single mother with hepatitis B stone If the baby is infected, the hepatitis B vaccine should be given as soon as it is born, regardless of weight. RSV vaccine (Synagis) should be administered once a month during the autumn and winter months for very young premature babies, especially babies born under the 28th week of gestation and weighing less than 1.5 kg. This vaccine can prevent bronchiolitis and pneumonia caused by RSV. "Premature babies older than 6 months and their families should be vaccinated against flu during the flu season," he said.
Emphasizing that premature babies have less resistance to diseases, Dr. Özkılıç warned that no visitors should be allowed into the baby room until they have their first vaccination. Dr. Özkılıç said, “Do not give your baby to anyone other than the mother, father and caregiver. "You have to make sure that people who come to visit the house do not have diseases," he said.
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