A normal and healthy baby is one that is born after completion of nine months but many a time one can have a premature baby too, one that is born before nine months.

One should take utmost care with premature babies because generally they have low immunity and are susceptible to diseases and other problems.

What are the risk factors associated with premature babies?
Generally, women with high blood pressure, diabetes, or chronic ailments are blessed with such a baby. Such condition in the mothers implies a lesser flow of nutrients to the child. Apart from that, poor body weight of the mother can also contribute to such a condition. All in all, it is more to do with the bodily condition of the mother rather than the child, that contributes to such a condition.

Kids that are born premature have poor body weight because they are born earlier than scheduled, making them open to risk of various ailments right from their start. Not only that, it is difficult for them to gain weight as normal infants do. In fact, when they grow older they may become susceptible to chronic diseases like high blood pressure, digestive and intestinal problems. In fact, some of the kids who have been born premature have gone to show learning disabilities too.

Are all premature babies underweight?
Though generally it is the trend but there are exceptions to this tendency too. In fact, there are babies who even after being born after the completion of full term, are at times, underweight. There are a multitude of factors that can contribute to such babies. They like the premature babies have low immunity and developmental problems.

What can be done to prevent premature babies and underweight babies?
It is important for a pregnant woman to keep various checks so that these problems can be averted. One should make it a point to attend preconception sessions to know about such perils and ways to do away with them. Also, prenatal checkups should be adhered to religiously, in case one wants to avoid such a condition. One should know the ideal diet that she should have at this point and ensure that she adheres to it. Not only that, one should also know the medications that one can take upon during pregnancy and should never resort to self medication.

How to handle premature and underweight babies?
Premature and underweight babies are extremely delicate, and therefore should be handled with utmost care. The endeavor should be to help them to get at par with normal term babies so that their development, both physically and mentally is in accordance with them.

• Even if your baby is premature or underweight, you should try to breast-feed her as soon as possible. Premature babies grow faster than the normal babies grow and hence require far more nutrients.
• Given your own condition, you may not be able to breast fed that frequently and may be tempted to put your baby to formula feed, but try avoiding the same as far as possible.
• It is possible that your baby is connected to feeding tubes because of her inability to suck milk on her own. In such a scenario, hold your baby as and when it is possible and as soon as you can. Doing so will not only calm her but will also help her to feel better too.
• Because such babies are tiny, handling them requires a lot of care. Make sure you take utmost care when lifting them.
• Premature babies are more prone to the phenomenon of SIDS and hence they should never be made to sleep on their stomachs.
• You may be required to feed such a baby more often than a normal baby simply because they do not have the reserves as a normal baby does.
• When you get your baby home, make sure that the same is kept scrupulously clean and avoid the contact of your baby with any sick person because the immunity levels are really low with such babies and hence they are quick to catch up on an infection.

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