Premature babies are special newborns, so just leave their treatment and monitoring to the pediatrician, and as a new mom or dad, all you have to do is feed and care for them. The following is a brief introduction to feeding and caring for premature babies for your reference.
Feeding of preterm babies
1.Milk feeding
(1) intensive nutrition: the use of intensive breast milk, preterm infant formula or preterm infants after discharge formula feeding method. According to the corrected age of weight does not reach the 25th percentile of suitable for gestational age preterm infants and does not reach the 10th percentile
Preterm infants less than gestational age who do not reach the 25th percentile for corrected weight and those who do not reach the 10th percentile for gestational age should continue to be fortified after discharge. When the above physical growth standard is reached, the energy density of fortified nutrition should be gradually reduced, and the growth rate and blood biochemical indexes should be closely monitored during the period until it is discontinued.
(2) Non-fortified nutrition: Premature infants who do not need fortification should be exclusively breastfed, with attention to multivitamins, iron, calcium, phosphorus and other nutrients, and guidance to breastfeeding mothers for a balanced diet. Supplement infant formula when breast milk is insufficient.
2. Food conversion
Under the premise of ensuring sufficient amount of breast milk and/or infant formula, according to the development and physiological maturity level and catching up with growth, generally in the correction of 4-6 months of age
The introduction of pureed and solid foods will begin gradually at 4-6 months of age.
3.Nutrient supplementation
(1) Iron supplementation: Continue to supplement with iron 2 mg/(kg-d) until 12 months of age of correction, as appropriate.
(1) Iron supplementation: Continue to supplement with iron 2 mg/(kg-d) until 12 months of age. When using breast milk fortification, iron-fortified formula and other iron-rich foods, reduce the supplemental dose of iron as appropriate.
(2) Vitamin A, D and calcium and phosphorus supplementation: Continue supplementation with vitamin D 800-1000 U/d, and change to 400 U/d after 3 months of age.
U/d until 2 years of age, and supplementation with vitamin A, calcium and phosphorus as appropriate.
Premature infant care
Try to concentrate the care time, move gently and avoid frequent and excessive stimulation.
1. Keep warm
According to the weight, developmental maturity and environmental temperature and humidity of preterm infants, take different measures to keep them warm, and advocate the “kangaroo care” method.
2.Avoid infection
Wash hands before contact with preterm babies and after diaper changing, reduce visits from friends and relatives, clean and sterilize milking utensils after each feeding, and open windows in the living room daily to ventilate. Keep the umbilical cord dry and clean. If you find any purulent discharge or redness in the umbilical cord, seek medical attention promptly.
3. Provide a suitable sleeping environment
Keep the indoor air circulation and quiet, and the light and darkness should be clearly differentiated between day and night to help premature babies establish circadian rhythm. Pay attention to the position of preterm infants to avoid aspiration or asphyxia.
4. Vaccination
Refer to the relevant requirements of the National Vaccination Practice for vaccination.