Did you know that caring for a premature baby may be a little more different than caring for a normal baby? A premature baby requires much more careful and constant attention from parents. As a premature baby enters the world earlier than they’re expected or are ready to, parents will need to put more effort into making sure the baby grows well and healthy.
Byrd, a father of two children, shares his experience of caring for his first child, who was a premature baby.
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Byrd Yee, 37
To be completely honest, I was a little disappointed yet anxious when I first found out that my baby was born earlier than expected. It may sound bad of me but it was really out of my control to feel that way. Imagine having your first child, you’d expect a perfectly normal and healthy baby.
To learn about this, it wasn’t exactly ideal and I’m sure it wouldn’t be ideal for any parents at all. This is because I was already aware of the fact that unlike normal babies, premature babies are usually or most likely to face complications.
But of course, my wife and I were still blessed that our baby came out okay. The little guy just had a little problem with his lungs and nothing much. My wife and I feared for the worst and were extremely relieved to find out the complications weren’t as bad as we thought it’d be. We were extremely grateful for that.
Overall Experience
My overall experience of taking care of a premature baby can be concluded by using two words; very exhausting. I know caring for a normal baby can be tiring also but this would have to be something completely different. It included countless sleepless nights and having to worry every second of the day.
But in the end, my wife and I would still be incredibly excited to see him grow stronger day by day. Watching a premature baby grow from being weaker than the rest to being able to do what the others do as well is truly something I will cherish.
The Challenges
I would say that one of the main challenges would be having to be on standby every minute of the day. This is because premature babies are likely to have a breathing problem. In order to make sure the baby’s breathing doesn’t cut off, we have to be very alert all of the time. Can you imagine that if you didn’t pay attention for a second, you risk the possibility of losing your baby forever?
Another challenge would be feeding time. I remember that slow and hourly feeding was needed as the baby isn’t like the other normal ones. I also recall having to be overprotective in everything to ensure my son doesn’t get sick as getting sick for a premature is definitely a big no-no. Hence, taking care of a premature baby takes a lot of willpower, love and care.
Differences between Premature & Normal Baby
Looking after a premature baby is so very tiring. Both your mind and body are being challenged daily compared to caring for a normal baby. You have to be vigilant throughout every second of the day. This type of baby needs special attention and food but way more than that.
Everything has to be thoroughly cleaned as their immune systems are much weaker than the normal ones. The first year of their life is most important to ensure that they’re almost or at par in comparing normal babies of the same age. It is a very tough process but it is needed in order for the baby to grow up fine.
But still, care goes beyond that at least until they reach the schooling age. Lastly, your finances are stretched to beyond your limit as their food, medication and more are very expensive.
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