Tag Archives: life saving

Some States Have More Premature Babies Than Others

A new report shows that the odds of you having a premature baby depend on the state in which you live. The report was issued by the March of Dimes organization which tracked premature births and gave a report card on the disparity of premature births by state. For example, the states with the lowest incidence of premature births tend to be up north. In Vermont, a woman is least likely to have a premature baby. Only 9 percent of all births are premature. Oregon and Connecticut also have low rates of premature births. When you move down further south … Continue reading →

Baby Blog Week in Review: October 20th Through October 26th

As parents, we always worry about our children. It is so important to stay informed, whether it is an issue with BPA in plastics or baby clothing that is causing medical issues. Explore the posts in the Baby Blog for the week of October 20th through October 26th. October 20th Baby Blog Week in Review: October 13th Through October 19th October 22nd The Danger of Manganese Pediatricians are becoming concerned about children, and in particular those under the age of 12 months, being exposed to high levels of manganese. Here is what you need to know about current studies and … 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 →

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 →

Do You Kangaroo?

Kangaroo Care is not a new concept. It has been around for centuries and is commonly practiced in other cultures all the time, as a practical way of life. However, the term was coined in 1979 when doctors in Columbia, in response to a shortage of incubators and a hospital wide infection, started using kangaroo care because they simply couldn’t do anything else. The results were astonishing and Kangaroo Care started being used commonly to treat premature infants and respiratory distress. Kangaroo Care, as the term is used today, has a variety of definitions but generally consists of at least … Continue reading →

Breastfeeding and the NICU

The NICU (Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit), is a scary place. There are the tiniest of babies, machines and wires everywhere, and dark lights. The atmosphere is quiet, while nurses and doctors go about the very important business of monitoring little lives. The NICU is also scary because if you have seen it, it means your baby is inside, likely hooked up to something, perhaps clinging to life. For the most part, babies are in the NICU because they were born prematurely. While there are other reasons babies may land themselves an incubator in the NICU, being premature is the most … Continue reading →

Multiply the Love – Preterm Twins

Early deliveries of multiple birth pregnancies are actually pretty common. Statistics show that at least half of all twin births and over 90 percent of triplets are born before the 37th week of pregnancy. Preemies face developmental and medical issues. The earlier they are born, the more challenging their difficulties will be. Luckily, multiples seem to mature faster in the womb than your single babies. Compared to single birth preemies, multiple birth preemies are usually prepared for developing and breathing outside the womb. In The Art of Parenting Twins by Patricia Malmstrom discusses the fact that low birth weights and … Continue reading →

Calling *677 Could Save Your Life

There are so many things out there that we can teach our children that might save their lives, one of those is calling *677. If an unmarked car tries to pull you over on a deserted stretch of road call the number *677, it puts you in direct contact with police dispatch. For a woman alone in a car you should never pull over for an unmarked car. Police have to respect your right to keep going to a safe place. You do need to acknowledge them by putting on your hazard lights or you can call *677. The following … Continue reading →