RSV, Bronchiolitis and the Summer Months

We often hear of the dangers of RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) during the winter months. The peak season for RSV is between the months of November and April. It is important to realize that RSV can still pose a threat in the summer months. One of the complications of RSV is bronchiolitis. This is an infection of the bronchioles, some of the smallest airways in the lungs. This infection can be quite scary. Unfortunately I have dealt with bronchiolitis and RSV with two of my children. Both cases have occurred during the summer months. Since my babies have all been … Continue reading →

NICU Womb Rooms

Premature births are on the rise. It used to be that 32 weeks was considered the age of viability. With each one of my pregnancies the age of viability was earlier and earlier. That’s saying something considering that starting in 1998 I was pregnant every other year until the twins birth in 2005. Doctors now say that the age of viability is as early as 24 weeks because of advances in technology and improvement of care. Instead of focusing on how to keep the baby alive, doctors are now focusing on how to help the baby’s development in the future. … Continue reading →

How Low Birth Weight Affects Adulthood

The idea that low birth weight babies have a rough start is nothing new. Throughout four pregnancies spanning eight years, I’ve been warned on the dangers of giving birth too early or having a baby who is too small. (Too small, by the way, is any baby that weighs less than 5.5 pounds at birth, regardless of whether or not it is premature.) As it turns out a recent study published by researchers at the University of Michigan, covering over 12,000 babies and 35 years of work, shows that skinny babies have other issues as well. Some key points from … Continue reading →

A Unique Hospital for Sick Babies

When I had my daughter just eight years ago, it used to be that the age of viability was 30 weeks. This meant that if she was born prematurely, at 30 weeks she had a very good chance of survival. Before 30 weeks, that was a different story. But medical technology is constantly changing. When I had my twins two years ago we talked extensively about the possibility of premature birth. Having twins nearly doubles your risk of giving birth early regardless of the health of the mother or other factors. It is not common to carry twins to a … Continue reading →

Preemies Listening to Vivaldi?

Music therapy for preemies is cropping up all over the world, and it’s showing promising results! Music therapy is designed to help relax the infant and studies are showing that it improves neurological functions! Here are some unique ways in which preemies are being treated with music. Granada, Spain Nurses at a maternity hospital put speakers up to an incubator three times a day. The therapy has several goals. The first is to reduce cortical levels (the hormone present when we’re stressed). Secondly, researchers are looking to see if they can help improve the bonding between the preemies and their … Continue reading →

Volunteer Cuddler Programs Help Preemies

Having to leave your baby in the hospital is heart wrenching. I was talking with one fellow MOM (mother of multiples) recently who recounted her experiences with her preemie twins. She said she spent 16 hour days at the hospital with her twins for 6 weeks while they were in the NICU. However, not every mom can spend that much time in the hospital for extended periods of time. Enter the Volunteer Cuddler Program. These special ladies (and I suppose men could do it too), volunteer their time to go to the hospital and cuddle preemies. Cuddling Gets Started Preemies … Continue reading →

Your Preemie

The statistics tell us that one out of every eight babies is born before the pregnancy achieves 37 weeks and these babies are considered premature. Thanks to our modern medicine and research in areas in pediatric health, preemies have a greater chance at survival and a long life. Infants born at 28 weeks and weighing just 2 pounds have a 95% survival rate and that’s amazing. So It’s Time To Bring Your Preemie Home No matter when your preemie was born, as they grow stronger and get healthier – there will come a time when you are ready to bring … Continue reading →

What You Need to Know About RSV Season

RSV or respiratory syncytial virus affects nearly all babies before they turn two. In most children and adults, the symptoms manifest themselves as a simple cold, runny nose and maybe a slight fever. In infants who are at risk however, RSV can develop serious and sometimes even fatal complications. RSV season in most parts of the country, is from the fall until early spring. It is during this time that your infant is most at risk of developing serious RSV disease. RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalizations in the United States with 125,000 babies being hospitalized every year. … Continue reading →

Principles in Breastfeeding a Preemie

Something that moms of preemies understand that the “normal” mothers don’t is that preemies have unique challenges and their “preemie” status follows them for at least a few years. Moms of preemies are always talking about real age vs. adjusted age as an indicator of developmental markers and preemie moms generally have to be extra cautious about illness during the first few years of life. We all know that breast milk is the best food for your baby. It is the best food for preemies as it contains valuable antibodies to ward off sickness and it contains extra fat to … Continue reading →

Preemies and Surviving Intensive Care

No parent ever wants to deal with having a premature baby but sometimes it cannot be avoided. For many parents, the real struggle occurs when the baby has to stay in intensive care while mom and dad go home. As you can imagine, leaving your baby behind is heartbreaking, although good for the baby. The time a baby would need to stay in the hospital would depend on many factors to include term of birth, specific illness, response time to treatment, etc. One of the most important things you need to do as the parents is prepare yourself if you … Continue reading →