Tips on how to manage preterm babies from home

Nov 25, 2020

Mothers with chronic high blood pressure and pregnancy induced pressure are at high risk of delivering preterm babies.

HEALTH|PRETERM BABIES|MOTHERS

Babies born before the 37th week of gestation are considered premature and are sometimes referred to as preemies.

In most cases, some of the mothers are often worried about providing care to a premature baby, this is because babies who are born preterm need a little more care than other babies.

How to manage preterm at home

Dr Anita Tumwebaze, the head of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Mulago Specialised Women and Neonatal hospital, emphasises the need to stick to the baby's feeding schedule saying that a premature baby requires to feed 10-12 hours a day. 

Therefore, a mother should make sure that they feed their babies at regular intervals.

She encourages mothers to breastfeed their babies. She however says sometimes a baby may have a problem in latching or may not be able to latch at all. 

She advises them to pump breast milk and feed on a cup or nasogastric tube.

The mothers are advised not to give a gap of more than 3 hours at any given point in time as the chances of dehydration may increase, which can be dangerous for the baby.

Tumwebaze explains that "A preterm baby needs a lot of sleep, and it may be spending most of its time sleeping only. Make sure it is lying on a firm mattress and with no pillows. Also, never put your baby on its stomach; always make it sleep on its back,''

She advises the mothers to always keep in touch with the babies' doctors regularly even after leaving the hospital. 

They should also keep taking tips on how to take care of your baby. If the need arises, you may pay a visit to their doctor too.

Tumwebaze says recordkeeping of the baby's growth is key because preterm babies grow differently than full-term babies. 

She encourages mothers to use the chart to monitor their baby's growth.

Dr Anita Tumwebaze, the head of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Mulago Specialised Women and Neonatal hospital, emphasises the need to stick to the baby's feeding schedule saying that a premature baby requires to feed 10-12 hours a day.


When a preterm baby is asleep, mothers are encouraged to take care of them.

Handwashing is a must for a mother and any visiting family members before touching the baby. 

Sanitizing the surface (floor, sinks), cups and bottles used to feed the baby and toys frequently is a need.

Apart from visiting the doctor, a mother may have to refrain from taking her baby out in crowded places such as parties and places of worship for several weeks. 

This is because her baby is more prone to catching infections, which can be fatal for him.

Tumwebaze however says it is important to expose the baby to sunshine for a few minutes daily at home because it is a source of Vitamin D and to clear jaundice this is commonly known as yellowing of skin

She says practicing Kangaroo Care at home is also necessary. Adding that it will be a good idea to practice it for a few weeks at home. 

Kangaroo Mother Care is an effective way to meet a premature baby's needs for warmth, frequent breastfeeding, protection from infection, stimulation, safety, and love. 

It has also been shown to improve bonding between mothers and babies.

Mothers should also keep track of their babies' immunisation schedule and get them immunized as per the schedule.

Since the preterm baby's immunity is very low. Thus, it will be a good idea to restrict the visitors at home.

Who is at risk of delivering a premature baby

She says that mothers who have had a premature baby are at the risk of having another.

Preterm babies in incubators at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Mulago Specialised Women and Neonatal hospital. (Credit: Violet Nabatanzi)


Mothers with chronic high blood pressure and pregnancy induced pressure are at high risk of delivering preterm babies. 

Tumwebaze explains that, if a mother's pressure is not well managed, it usually gets worse when they are pregnant and this can lead them to deliver preterm babies.

Others are diabetes type 1 or 2, multiple pregnancies for instance twins or triplet, uterine infections, early separation of the placenta, fibroids, and weak cervix which cannot hold the pregnancy up to term, untreated infections also put a mother at risk of delivering prematurely.

She reveals that mothers under the age of 18 or those who are above 35 years are at high risk of producing preterm. 

Pregnant women are encouraged to sleep under treated mosquito nets, this is because when their mothers get Malaria during pregnancy, it affects a baby and this can lead to them having premature labour.

Problems faced by preterm babies

Breathing problems like prolonged pauses, respiratory distress among other problems babies face. Such problems occur because of an immature respiratory system.

Heart problems such as small holes in the heart, low blood pressure (Hypotension), bleeding in the brain are some of the harms to preterm.

Premature also do not have stored fat to generate heat to counteract the lost heat through the surface of their body. Others are anemia and new-born jaundice.

Burden of Prematurely

Globally, there has been an increase in the number of babies born prematurely. In developed countries, it ranges from 4 to 8%. 

However, in Sub-Saharan Africa, at least 11% of babies are born prematurely.

In Uganda according to the Uganda Health Demographic Survey, the rate of babies born prematurely stands at 14 per 1,000 live births.

Lynn Muhwezi, a mother of an 18-months baby who was born premature, says she has managed to take care of her baby by following the doctors' advice, maintaining good hygiene, and feeding the baby with a balanced diet.

She says mothers raising preemies should be patient because the preterm babies grow at their own pace though they eventually catch up. 

Muhwezi encouraged mothers to always seek counselling and medical care whenever needed.

November 17th was World Premature Day. The theme for the day was "Born too soon: Providing the right care, at the right time, in the right place."

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