Life’s Biggest Lessons are Sometimes Learned from the Littlest Ones.
Crib notes- From a Preemie Parent to her Preemie:… [more]
Dear Preemie Parent
If I could write you a note at the beginning of your NICU journey, this is what it would say... I know… [more]
A Preemie Teaches Me
Lying under radiant heat, hooked to machines, wires, and tubes; fine thin hair covers your small vulnerable… [more]
Growing Home- Preemie Developmental Care in the NICU
When you have a baby born prematurely, you are faced with starting parenthood differently than if your… [more]
What the Beep? Understanding the NICU Monitors
When you have a baby in the NICU, you will become all too familiar with the symphony of sounds that… [more]
Latest
Life’s Biggest Lessons are Sometimes Learned from the Littlest Ones.
Crib notes- From a Preemie Parent to her Preemie: [Read More...]
Introducing Solid Foods to the Premature Baby.
Most full term babies will follow a fairly predictable pattern of development and the standard advice given about introducing solid foods to infants in the first year of life is based on this pattern of development and developmental milestones. However, preterm babies often do not reach developmental milestones at the same time or pace as for full-term infants. [Read More...]
Neurobehavioral Development, Infant Communication, and Sensory Integration in the Premature Baby
The womb is a warm, dark, and cozy home where the baby spends their days and nights curled up with arms and legs tucked in and flexed. Sounds of the mother’s heartbeat are rhythmic and soothing while the outside world sounds are muffled and muted. Boundaries are formed by the uterine walls and the baby is able to float, kick, and test these boundaries with great success. This environment is ideally perfect and so crucial for the growing and developing neurological system. Neural pathways are being developed at an astronomical rate, forming thousands of essential nerve cell connections. This natural and important process is interrupted when a baby is suddenly born prematurely. [Read More...]
NICU 101
Preeclampsia and Prematurity- What you need to know
Preeclampsia is responsible for approximately 20% (about 4 million) of the preterm births each year worldwide. In the United States preeclampsia develops in 6-8% of all pregnancies and its incidence has increased by one third over the … [Read More...]
Growing Home- Preemie Developmental Care in the NICU
When you have a baby born prematurely, you are faced with starting parenthood differently than if your baby was born full term. Rather than being able to hold, touch, comfort, and console your newborn you are faced with the reality of … [Read More...]
Fight BAC! Infections, The Preemie, and The Immune System
Infants born prematurely have low levels of antibodies, substances in the bloodstream that help protect against infection. In the later part of pregnancy, antibodies cross the placenta from the mother to the fetus. When a baby is born … [Read More...]
Permaturity
Your Growing Preemie: Week by Week
Preemies are born into a world that is far different from that of a fetus growing within the womb. Because fetal development happens quickly and many changes take place in utero week to week; prematurely born infants will vary in their … [Read More...]
Pink Blue Purple and the Color….ORANGE?
It’s Prematurity Awareness Month and as we close in on World Prematurity Awareness Day, I have had several folks ask me about the color orange. Why orange? What does it symbolize? I thought purple was the color of prematurity? What about … [Read More...]
Statistically Speaking- Did You Know?
Most pregnancies last approximately 40 weeks. Babies born between 37 and 42 weeks of gestation are considered full term. Babies that are born before 37 weeks gestation are defined as premature. … [Read More...]
