Things to Comfort a Premature Baby

The birth of a premature baby can be worrying and stressful. Fortunately, however, there are many things that parents can do to comfort their premature baby, both when she is in hospital, and when she comes home. This will help your baby make the difficult adjustment to living outside the womb.

Touch

• Touch is a great way to comfort a premature baby, and parents should try to have as much physical contact with their newborn as possible. Any touch should be gentle and firm. The Ohio State Medical University Center recommends laying one hand on the baby's head and the other on his bottom or back. You can also gently stroke his arms and legs.

Kangaroo Care

• Kangaroo care is the practice of giving your premature baby skin-to-skin comfort by holding her closely to your bare chest, between your breasts if you are a mother. Premature babies can greatly benefit from this kind of comfort, say Deborah L. Davis and Mara Tesler Stein in their book, "Parenting Your Premature Baby And Child." Kangaroo care not only helps stabilize the body temperatures of preemies, but it can calm their heart and breathing rates, as well. Preemies held in this way also tend to sleep better and gain weight more quickly.

Massage

• A 1986 study at the Touch Research Institute showed that parents who massaged their premature babies saw a 21% greater weight gain per day in their babies than those who did not. Begin by cupping your hands and placing them on your baby's head. Your preterm's skin is quite sensitive so allow her a minute or two to get used to this. Then, gently stroke down her back, arms, legs and feet while being very careful to avoid any tubes, tape or other equipment. You can also use baby lotion if your doctor or nurse permits it. Your baby has probably had enough touching if she starts to tense up or cry, or if you notice changes in her breathing pattern

Speech

• Talk to your baby. Use a soft, friendly tone and encouraging, affectionate words. This will increase your baby's emotional security, according to the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Co-bedding

• Twins, triplets and multiples can benefit from bedding together in the intensive care unit. Their sleeping patterns become synchronized, and they provide warmth and comfort for each other as they grow.

Parental Involvement

• Involve yourself as much as possible with your premature baby's care while he is in the hospital. Parents can help with tube feeding, bathing, nappy changing and mouth cleaning. Although this may be daunting at first, it is crucial for the baby's well being, says UCLH neonatologist, Dr Jane Hawdon.

Breastfeeding

• A premature baby's mother has exactly the right milk for a preterm baby, according to Great Ormond Street Hospital. The feeds may be short at first, but because the milk is so good for the baby, the mother should take every opportunity to breastfeed. If they baby is too weak to latch and suck properly, the mother's milk can be expressed and fed to the her baby with a bottle or syringe.