The important role of fathers in the care of premature babies

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The involvement and influence of fathers in the health and development of their children has increased in many ways over the past 10 years, especially in the care of premature babies. The role and influence of fathers on child outcomes is evident at each stage of a child's development.

A premature baby needs special care. Being born prematurely and sick can lead to stress and difficulties for not only the parents but all family members. Moreover, men, in addition to worrying about their wives and newborn children, also have to worry about other children at home, work requirements and financial burdens.

1. Expect intense emotions

Many fathers will have mixed feelings after their baby is born prematurely. These feelings can also come in an intense way. All of the emotions listed below are very normal and most men who have had a premature baby have experienced them as well. Some negative emotions will lessen as your baby gets older.
Worry and fear about the baby's health status when born prematurely and fear about the baby's future. The feeling of grief when a baby is born premature, weak and has to receive special medical care. Resentment at changes in life. Helpless and frustrated because nothing can be done to help the baby at this stage

Stress from many sides trying to support your partner in dealing with financial worries, managing work and home chores and spending time with the kids other (if any) as well as for the wife and newborn baby. Overwhelmed with love and pride for her new born baby Amazed at her growth and the early hurdles she has had to overcome on her own. I hope she will have a bright future that she always dreamed of. Always wanted to show everyone about her and her extraordinary energy. The birth of a premature baby can lead to stress in the relationship between the couple as well as the father's relationship with family members. It's important to share those positive and negative feelings with your partner and family to support each other through this emotionally difficult time. Remember:
Men and women have different ways of dealing with pressure and negative emotions. Some men tend to suppress their own emotions so as not to make their partner more anxious while women feel the man's actions show a lack of interest or even lack of interest. trust.
A couple can experience many of the same emotions, but they don't always happen at the same time. And the thing to do is to accept that, which means that it is not always possible for a couple to have the same view of an issue. Husbands, wives, and their families can react differently to the same situation. Try to discuss why the man feels this way and listen and empathize with his wife's feelings. Men, their partners, and their families may have different needs regarding the amount of information their baby needs to share. Sometimes, a woman may want to share less details about her preterm baby's treatment and development than her husband because she may feel responsible for her health and needs. needs of premature infants. It's important to respect these differences and respect what you're both comfortable sharing.

2. Things fathers can do for their premature baby

Fathers play an important role in the development of infants in general and preterm infants in particular. Here are some things a man can do to support his baby's care:
Spend time with your baby: Get to know the staff in the intensive care unit. Learn about the health care and nutritional needs of premature babies. The more time a father spends with his child, the more comfortable he will feel about the condition and care he receives. Share any concerns about your child's care with your healthcare provider and trust your father's instincts. Ask questions: Ask the staff as many questions as possible about your baby's care. No question a father asks is superfluous. Discuss and make care decisions with your partner Touch and hold your baby as soon as your doctor says OK Even though a premature baby may look frail, know that he or she will recognize voice as well as touch when held and talked with by the father.

3. Accept help from others

One person can't be everywhere at once, so prioritize your work and let others help make it happen. This allows each father to spend more time with his children and still handle other tasks.

Try to spend time with other children too. Make sure they always receive the shared attention of their father. Sometimes they are just as worried about their mother and younger brother as their father. Ask for and accept help. There are many other family members and friends who really want to help but don't know how. Therefore, make a list of necessary things that people can support, cook, clean the house, cut the lawn, go to the market, take the children to school.... Balance all areas in life. When you return to work, try to limit your working hours as much as possible so that you can spend that precious time with your children and wife. Inform the employer about the baby's condition in case of needing to take an unexpected leave or not being able to complete a certain amount of work, it will help relieve a lot of pressure Whenever possible , try to have fun and tease people a little. Humor can make those around you more optimistic.

4. Support your partner

Those who are first time mothers but fall into preterm labor often feel very scared. They may need extra support and understanding from their husbands in the early days after giving birth. Here are ways husbands can consider doing things to support their wives:
In the early days, wives may feel tired, uncomfortable or sleepy from spending so much time in the nursing room. special squirrel. Or it may be because the baby has been transferred to another hospital with better care and equipment. Then the husband's job is to share all the information about the baby that he knows with his wife, maybe even show them photos of the baby as well as the steps of care that the medical staff take for the baby. young so that the wife can feel more secure. Patience: Fears, pain, fatigue, and hormonal changes can make wives more emotional and irritable than usual. Please understand, sympathize and share with her. Many mothers who give birth prematurely feel responsible and guilty about their baby's condition. Listen, empathize, and reassure her that it's not her fault at all. Encourage mothers to take more care of themselves. Sometimes mothers don't get enough rest or don't eat properly because of worrying about the baby, so husbands need to support their wives in all the activities of daily living that they can. Okay. Encourage your wife when she's spent more time with the baby. Her spirit will really improve when she hears words of encouragement from her husband.

5. Take care of yourself

Every man no matter how strong can't be superman. And in order to stay healthy enough to support the wife in taking care of the children, husbands also don't forget to take care of themselves:
Get enough sleep and maintain a healthy diet Relax: Whatever the weather When you have limited time, try to participate in activities that relieve stress such as exercising, playing sports, going to the movies with other children. A man will take better care of his new baby and wife if he can relax like this from time to time. Seek support from family and friends to reduce burden and pressure. Although you may not know, each father has been playing an important role in the life of children in general and premature babies in particular. Parenting a premature baby can be difficult, especially for those with additional medical conditions. But be proud of all the things you do to help your baby and your partner, and the little things that make a dad different.
Premature babies are generally susceptible to respiratory diseases, respiratory infections and gastrointestinal infections if they start eating solids early or the storage and preparation of milk is not guaranteed. To protect children's health, parents should do well to exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first 6 months (if possible) and vaccinate on schedule. As soon as the child shows symptoms such as anorexia, fatigue, crying, it is necessary to take the child to the hospital to be consulted by a specialist for monitoring and treatment. The pediatric department at Vinmec International General Hospital is the address for receiving and examining diseases that infants and young children are susceptible to: viral fever, bacterial fever, otitis media, pneumonia in children. With a system of facilities, modern medical equipment, sterile space, minimizing the impact as well as the risk of disease spread, Vinmec will bring satisfaction to customers. and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of leading pediatricians: Including leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctors, Master's degree), experienced, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. The doctors are all well-trained, professional, conscientious, knowledgeable about young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. Advanced techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to play comfortably and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

References: babycenter.com, raisingchildren.net.au