Every year the world is born fifteen million premature babies, which means that one in ten babies are born before the 37th week of gestation. Efforts are increasing to improve the quality of life of premature babies, as well as to help them recover during their stay in the ICU until they are ready to go home.
Medical advances make it possible for more and more premature women to succeed in the least possible consequences. However, staying in intensive care is not the most pleasant feeling for a baby who, in addition to medical care, also needs to feel that they caress him, hug him and talk to him to get ahead.
Types of premature babies
Premature birth is the leading cause of mortality among newborns during the first four weeks of life, and the second cause of death among children under five, after pneumonia.
In Babies and moreThe story of "Emilín the warrior", a great premature of 23 weeks of gestation that has come forward without sequelaeAccording to the week in which premature babies were born, they are classified as:
Moderate or late premature: born between week 32 and 37 of gestation. They represent more than 80% of premature babies and most survive with adequate attention.
Very premature: born between 28 and 32 weeks gestation: need additional supportive attention. The majority survive.
Extreme premature: born before 28 weeks of gestation. They require the most intensive attention to survive. In developed countries, the survival of these children is increasing and with less consequences. They have a 90 percent chance of survival, although they may suffer physical, neurological and learning disabilities. In low-income countries, only 10 percent survive.
Touch and hug the premature baby
Physical contact is a basic need of the newborn, even, and even more so if it is possible for the newborn before term. Being born prematurely implies that when the baby should be warm inside the mother's womb while her organs develop, due to "X" circumstances, she has arrived in the world early. Now he has to continue developing "artificially" by his own means with the help of the machines to which he remains connected.
Thanks to incubators and increasingly premature machines they succeed, but the need for human contact can only be satisfied through caresses and hugs.
Being in arms not only makes them feel comfortable and safe, but they need to feel that they are touched to also improve their brain development. An investigation carried out by specialists from the United States and published in the journal "Current Biology" ensures that provide pleasant tactile sensations Babies allow better brain development.
These pleasant sensations allow them to counteract the physical pain they suffer as a result of punctures and other medical interventions during their stay in the ICU.
In Babies and more When you discharge your premature baby and finally take it homeKangaroo method
Fortunately, more and more hospitals are aware of the importance of parents stay with your babies 24 hours a day. This closeness allows both the mother and the father, or even a brother, to practice the Kangaroo Method with the baby, placing it skin with skin on his chest.
It is proven that this method has an effective effect on temperature regulation, breathing control, and promotes breastfeeding, among other benefits. In addition to strengthening the emotional bond with the baby, giving the mother greater security about her care.
Talk to the premature baby
Embrace it, caress it while speaking softly, singing songs or telling stories, although we believe he cannot hear us, makes the baby feel safe and protected, as well as being beneficial for its development.
Studies done with premature babies show that the brain of the little ones responds to the sound stimuli of their parents, and that they are even able to produce sounds if the parents speak to them frequently.
In Babies and more Every year 15 million premature babies are born in the world
