~When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.  ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

Practical tips from parents:

 

 

Talk to your baby

 

There has been a lot of research which suggests that a premature baby knows when its mother is around and can recognise her voice so talk to your baby lots and sing to them if you’re not too shy!  This will also help you to bond with your baby.

 

The importance of touch

 

Everyone wants to hold their baby as often as possible, this is completely natural however a premature baby can be sensitive and they can get quite agitated when you touch them often.  It is a good idea to hold your baby by placing your warm hands over their body while they lay in the incubator or cot.  Hold your hands firmly over your baby and they will feel your warmth and smell your scent and this will be very reassuring for them.  As soon as you are able to have kangaroo cuddles do so at every opportunity.

 

Kangaroo Care

 

Kangaroo Care is skin to skin contact with your baby.  Your baby snuggles down on your chest and keeps warm with your body heat and is comforted by the sound of your heartbeat and your distinctive smell and the feel of your soft skin.  This has so many benefits for your baby and helps you to form a special bond. 

 

Cares

 

When your baby is stable the nurse will ask you to do the cares for your baby.  This often consists of washing around their creases, wiping their eyes and mouth, changing their nappy, changing their position and then feeding them often via a oral or nasal gastric tube.  Try to be there for your baby’s cares as often as you can afterall you are their parent and the more often you do the cares the more confident you will become with your premature baby.  Also, the nurses will appreciate you making the effort with your baby

 

Express your milk

 

Breast Milk is so precious and valuable to your premature baby so as soon after you have had your baby start expressing.  This is the best gift you can offer your baby as it helps protect him or her from infections and helps boost your baby’s immune system.

 

Music

 

Buy a baby mobile that plays music and hang it above your baby’s cot in the Neonatal Unit if you are allowed.  Otherwise take a CD player into the unit and play soft music to your baby when they are drifting off to sleep.  Babies love to listen to music especially classical and lullaby’s.

 

Knowledge

 

Get to know the nurses well and learn as much as you can about your baby’s condition, the medications they are on, what you can do to help their development.  Knowledge is very valuable and may help your baby to progress a lot faster.  Spend as much time with your baby as you can, stay with them in the unit if you need to be close to them, sing to them and talk to them as often as you can, your presence will make a difference.

 

Questions

 

Remember, no question is a dumb question.  Ask as many questions as you want and learn as much as you can about your baby while they are in the NNU.  Having a premature baby can be so daunting and scary, but keeping informed and understanding what is happening with your baby will help at least make it all a little less confusing and sometimes easier to cope with.

 

Talk

 

Talk to other mums. They are usually the one and only people who understand what you are going through and who you dont have to explain anything to.  They will also understand that some days you just wont be able to talk about any of it.

  

Visitors

 

Please dont allow any of your visitors to peer at any of the other babies in the unit as this is not fair for the parents.  Friends and family mean well and are often curious about the other babies in the unit but remember that some days parents just dont want to have to explain things about thier baby to a complete stranger.  Explain this to your visitors before they go into the unit.

 

Cues

 

Learn your babies cues/behaviour as this is how they communicate with you.  Ask your doctor or nurse to interpret them for you.

 

 

Our parents best buys:

 

 

-Mountain Buggy Sleeping bag – absolutely wonderful to keep your prem baby snug and warm while out and about in your mountain buggy.

 

- Bath seat, great for bathing babies who don’t have much torso strength and if you need an extra pair of hands

 

- Ecostore Nappy Balm – kind on bottoms prone to nappy rash, fantastic product

 

- Playgro Activity Play Rings – Perfect for prems tiny hands! Great because they are thin and light weight and make lots of noise and also easy to wash

 

- Bumbo Baby Seat.  Excellent for babies with no torso strength 

 

- Lamaze Phase 1 First Mirror – fantastic product.   

 

- Merino singlet’s - Absolutely wonderful for precious prems in winter time, keeps them snug and warm. 

 

- Happy Baby Pacifiers – great for baby’s with high pallets from being ventilated for so long.  AND the cheapest dummy you can buy at $3.90 each!  

 

- Dr Browns bottles – fantastic for babies with a weak suck. 

 

-Exersaucer – Highly recommend them for occasional use.  They can be expensive so if you don’t have one look on trade me or maybe hire one from the toy library.

 

- Kids Music Box – We purchased a beautiful Lullaby CD with our sons name all the way through it and played it to him constantly while in the neonatal unit and every night at bedtime when we got home.  He still adores it a year and a half later.  We bought it from the Parent and Child Show in Wellington but I think you can order online or ring  04 233 1992 

 

- Love to Sing DVD- Fantastic for the baby and educational too

 

 

 

 

Please email us if you have any tips you would like to add to this page.