How Premature Babies Behave
Most premature babies come home around the time of their normal due birth date and may even be discharged prior to their due date. When the baby has finally reached the expected birth date, they still have some catching up to do. The baby should be in a good feed and sleep pattern when discharged from the hospital.
Every baby is an individual and it will take time to learn about your baby.
You may find your baby's behaviour difficult to understand at first. This can cause worry and upset, but as the weeks go by, you will begin to understand your baby more and they will get better at making their needs known.
Many premature babies:
- Prefer less noise and need a calm quiet life
- They find it harder to calm and comfort themselves
- They tend to be more time consuming to look after
- They are noisy sleepers
As with all babies, your premature baby will seem to have bursts of fast development and other times when nothing much seems to change. If this is a worry, ask your doctor about it, but remember:
- You can't push your baby to develop before they are ready
- Don't try to force them into activities when they are tired or not in the mood
- Remember that pushing them will just upset both of you
- Give them your time and support
- Focus on their progress. Unless there is a problem which may need intervention, years from now it may not matter whether they began walking at 12 or 20 months of age
- Always use your baby's adjusted age to judge their abilities
Movement
You can help your baby control his/her movements by:
- holding their arms and legs close to their body
- moving them slowly and gently
- being quiet and calm with them
In premature babies, the senses (hearing, touching, seeing) often develop faster than the baby's ability to control their muscles (coordination).
Your baby may seem slow at gaining control of the movement of their head or ability to hold objects, but learn quickly to react to sights and sounds - signs of healthy development.
Breathing
Breathing patterns and the skin colour of premature babies can change quickly and without warning. Watch your baby and get to know their usual breathing pattern and "normal" colouring.
- Observe how your baby breathes
- Observe their skin colour
Knowing their usual behaviour will help you spot any problems. Any time you're concerned about your baby's breathing or colour, call your doctor or nurse.
Sleeping
Your baby should always be placed on their back to sleep (following the safe sleep guidelines)
Your baby will do more sleeping than anything else during their first weeks at home. At first, your baby may sleep 15 to 22 hours a day.
Premature babies tend to have long sleep sessions and short wakeful periods. Your baby may come home from the hospital with their days and nights mixed up.
Think about how different the baby's sleeping area is at home from what it was like in the hospital. If your baby has trouble sleeping:
- Try using a night light and play the radio softly
- Turn down the extra noise and light slowly to help your baby get used to the new sleeping area
- When feeding them during the night, keep their attention on eating and don't play with them
Remember that when your baby reaches an adjusted age of 6 to 8 months, they should be able to sleep through the night.
Crying
Your premature baby may not cry much at first. Crying will probably start as you get closer to the original due date (adjusted age of 0 months).
Your baby's first periods of crying may be short. They may be easily comforted by a soft touch or something to suck on. As your baby grows, they may cry more often.
In a way, crying is a good sign of your baby's normal development. Crying may tell you that your baby is hungry, uncomfortable, or tired.
Try to learn what their cries mean. By responding to their cries, you help your baby develop a feeling of trust and a sense that others understand them.
Sometimes, comforting a crying baby is hard. Long periods of crying may be a sign that a baby is sick or in pain. If your baby cries for an unusually long time, you should call your doctor or nurse. Excessive crying uses up too many calories, can exhaust the baby, and may interfere with breathing and growth.
As premature babies develop, they become easier to comfort. With time, they learn to calm themselves.
Fussing and crying generally reach a peak at 3 to 4 months adjusted age. As your baby gets older, they will probably cry less, and their periods of sleep will become more regular.
If your baby is a "difficult" sleeper, ask a friend to baby-sit for you occasionally so that you can have a well-deserved break. This is very important for you.