Parents of premature babies might need to learn how to be calm and patient. They should learn these because their baby was not born in term. Premature babies and babies that were born in term must not be treated the same way.
The day your baby is discharged from the hospital may bring you mixed emotions if he or she was born prematurely. Taking your infant home may have taken you days, weeks, or even months. However, when the time comes, it can be a little daunting to leave the safety of the hospital nursery.
If you’re anxious about caring for your premature baby at home, remember that health care professionals do not send prematures home until the babies are ready. With some preparation and planning, you’ll be ready, too.
Reiqurements for discharge of a premature baby
Before being discharged from the hospital, a premature must meet several basic requirements to ensure good health and fewer medical problems. Some nurseries require a minimum weight for discharge, but more often, the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) staff will evaluate the baby on these three criteria:
1.For at least 24-48 hours, depending on how early the infant was born, can the baby maintain a normal body temperature in an open crib?
2.How much of the baby’s food can he or she consume by bottle or breast alone?
3.Is it possible for the baby to acquire weight consistently?
Preparing for discharge
Release from the hospital is not an event, but rather an ongoing process for premature babies. If the infant survives and thrives outside of hospital, the parents are prepared to care for the child on their own.
In order to prepare for the big day and the weeks that follow, you can do the following:
- checking medical records and insurance coverage
- choosing a pediatrician and making medical appointments
- learning CPR and receiving specialized training
- making a decision about circumcision
- outfitting your vehicles with car seats
- attending a discharge debriefing
There are some hospitals that enable parents to stay in the hospital room with their premature for a short period to obtain some experience taking care of the infant. Despite the fact that they’re away from the nursery and caring for their children on their own, the parents can rest easy knowing that aid is only a few steps away.
