Annual World Prematurity Day is marked on 17 November – global premature birth is the leading cause of death worldwide in children under the age of five.
According to The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Groote Schuur Hospital, there are 15 million babies born prematurely worldwide every year, and eight out of 100 of these are born in South Africa. This means that you are likely to know someone who has had a premature baby and who has spent time in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Having a baby born too soon can be traumatic to families. Refilwe Makamedi, spokesperson of Sabio Communications said in South Africa neonatal facilities at hospitals are overcrowded and the NICU in Groote Schuur Hospital reported, “A frequent occupancy rate of 120 per cent as opposed to the desired 80 per cent occupation rate. This type of overcrowding may lead to an increased risk of infection and further complications for these babies.”
Caitlin Meredith, senior brand manager for Huggies provided a few tips for family and friends to help new parents so that they can focus all their love and attention on their ‘preemie’ baby:
- Help with other kids: New parents to preemie babies often spend the majority of their time at the hospital. If the parents have older children, organise play dates, school pick-ups, an outing or bring them something special to brighten their day
- Assist with household chores: Offer to do the groceries, laundry, vacuuming or mopping. They might sound like simple tasks, but these are the things that keep a household running
- Hospital care bag: Pack a care bag filled with healthy snacks and water to keep energy levels up, add a soft blanket for the skin-to-skin sessions with the baby as well as preemie nappies
- Just be present and support them: Having a baby in the NICU can be a lonely and isolating experience, so if you can visit, do. Take the new parents out for a cup of coffee and have a chat. Listen and be there for them on those days when they need a hug.
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