Knowledge to know when taking care of premature babies

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Thi An - Pediatrician - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.
Consequences of premature babies, also known as premature births, are often low birth weight, weak resistance, and malnutrition, which affect the child's intellectual development. Therefore, child care and nutrition for premature babies play a very important role. However, not all parents know how to properly take care of their children.

1. Properly taking care of premature babies

1.1 Proper feeding of premature babies During the first week after birth, newborns will be kept in an incubator, then their temperature will be checked, heart rate and blood oxygen levels monitored through modern equipment. most advanced. A baby's stay in an incubator usually lasts from a few weeks to a few months.
Many premature babies cannot breastfeed. For this case, nutritional care for premature infants by intravenous infusion. When the baby is strong enough to suckle, the babies will be breastfed or bottle-fed (in case they can't suckle or pour a spoon) like other babies.
In addition, premature babies must breathe oxygen if their lungs are not fully developed. Depending on the baby's condition, there will be different treatment methods such as:
Put the baby on a ventilator; Regulate air pressure to keep airways clear; Give your baby oxygen therapy with an oxygen delivery device that is wrapped around the baby's head. In general, premature babies can be discharged when:
Are able to breastfeed; Be able to breathe on their own without assistive devices; Can maintain body temperature and weight on its own.
1.2 Feeding premature babies while breastfeeding Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for premature babies in particular and babies in general. If your baby is not suckling well, you should consult with your doctor about expressing breast milk from a spoon or putting it in a bottle and feeding your baby instead of feeding directly. It is very helpful to express breast milk and store it properly because relatives can breastfeed your baby for you if you are busy or sick. In case your baby drinks formula instead of breast milk, you must choose the right type of milk. premature babies. To properly feed premature babies, you should know about this type of milk in consultation with your doctor. In addition, your doctor may recommend that you give your baby milk that is rich in vitamins and iron to help your baby grow healthy. Caring for a premature baby may also require iron supplements because the baby was born premature. Not as much iron is stored in the body as a full-term baby. After about 4 months of taking the medicine, your baby will have enough iron as required.
1.3 Make premature babies sleep more One of the tips for taking care of preterm babies properly is to pay attention to sleep time.

Although premature babies sleep more hours per day than full-term babies, they sleep for shorter periods of time. All babies should sleep on their backs, not on their stomachs, even premature babies. Put your baby on a firm mattress and no pillow. Sleeping on your stomach and sleeping on a soft mattress may increase your risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). This syndrome causes sudden and unexplained death, occurs in babies under 1 year old (usually while the baby is asleep).
1.4. Check your baby's vision Cross-eyed is common in premature babies. This problem usually goes away on its own as the baby gets older. Your doctor may refer you to an eye specialist if your baby has this problem. In addition, premature babies are also susceptible to retinopathy (ROP). This condition, which causes the small blood vessels in the eye to develop abnormally, occurs in babies born at 32 weeks of pregnancy or earlier. If your baby has retinopathy, your doctor will recommend that you take him or her for more frequent eye exams.

2. Nutrition for premature babies

2.1. Vitamins and Iron Supplements Breast milk provides all the vitamins and minerals a baby needs. All breastfed babies need vitamin D and from 6 months on, they need fluoride supplements to prevent tooth decay. In addition to breast milk and formula, when taking care of a premature baby, you need more nutrition than a full-term baby.
In addition, when feeding premature babies, remember to divide the number of feedings for the newborn into 8-12 times/day. If the baby is not able to suckle, it must be poured with a spoon or with a nasogastric tube, babies under 32 weeks need to be fed by tube. If the baby is able to suckle, feed as many times a day as the baby needs. Normally, when feeding premature babies, you need to take extra iron and vitamins. Iron is recommended for 1 year and should not be taken with milk.
2.2. The amount of milk needed for premature babies For nutrition of preterm infants, each feeding should be about 1 and a half to 2 hours apart and this interval will be increased as the child gets older:
Baby 1.5 kg every 1.5 hours. Children 2 kg every 2 hours. Children 3 kg every 3 hours. In cases where the mother does not have enough milk for the baby, the infant should be given more infant formula, the amount of milk should only be about 1/3 of the child's daily needs and gradually decrease until the mother has enough milk. (for example, children who eat 150ml of milk should only give 50ml of formula).
Absolutely, mothers should not give their babies a bottle because the baby will get used to the bottle and refuse to breastfeed, which will make breastfeeding difficult and difficult. When children are 6 months old, they should practice giving them solid foods with the following principles: From less to more, from soft to hard, from dilute to solid, and monitor the child's digestion.
2.3. Avoid adding formula milk Nutrition for preterm babies in the first 4-6 weeks after birth is the most important period for building breast milk. Try not to give your baby formula milk during this time. Breastfeeding a premature baby isn't easy, but mothers can usually start breastfeeding a few days or weeks after birth.

Consult your doctor if your baby is not gaining weight well. After 6 weeks of breastfeeding, when your breast milk supply is stable, you can give your baby breast milk expressed in a bottle or formula to help your baby get used to bottle feeding.
Besides, you cannot ignore the issue of vaccination if you want to take care of premature babies properly.
Premature babies should be vaccinated at the same age as full-term babies. Your child needs to be vaccinated with the first 2 shots of tuberculosis and hepatitis B. For preterm infants weighing > 2000g, they will be vaccinated as soon as they are discharged from the hospital or at the beginning of 2 months of age, for children weighing less than 2000g, they will be vaccinated at 2 months of age. In addition, there are other issues that need to be monitored and examined periodically under the guidance of a pediatrician or neonatologist...
Parents can refer to information about vaccinations, including vaccines. - Apply for hepatitis B at Vinmec International General Hospital according to the full vaccination schedule for children aged 0-15 months.
To prevent diseases that babies often get, parents should pay attention to nutrition to improve children's resistance. At the same time, add supporting foods containing lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, B vitamins,... snacks and less digestive problems.
Parents can learn more:
Why do you need to supplement Lysine for your baby?
The role of zinc - Guidelines for reasonable zinc supplementation
Please visit the website Vinmec.com regularly and update useful information to take care of your baby and family.