Training Preemie Parents
Recent research conducted in Norway has found that helping preemie parents better understand and interact with their babies may improve behavioral outcomes at school-age. This is an important finding as children born preterm are at greater risk for behavioral difficulties such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Preemies, particularly those who have been in intensive care units have been described as being more “difficult” and score less favorably in mood, adaptability, persistence, rhythmicity and distractibility than full term infants in standardized measures of temperament. Parents of preemies report that their babies are harder to understand, which can make it more challenging to successfully interact with them.
Researchers at the University Hospital of North Norway recruited 146 preemies born less than 2,000 grams (4 pounds, 6 ounces) who then either participated in a training program or undertook standard care only. Seventy-five full term infants were also recruited to be used as a baseline comparison. The intervention consisted of 8 sessions shortly before discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and 4 home visits by specially trained nurses focusing on the infant's unique characteristics, temperament, and developmental potential and the interaction between the infant and the parents. A follow-up of these babies at age 5 years found that preemies whose parents received the training had fewer behavior problems, such as inattention, aggression, or withdrawn behaviour. A key point of this study is that teaching parents skills from the beginning of their baby’s life is important and particularly so for parents of preemies.
Preemie born with front teeth
Most preterm infants born early are behind on many aspects of development. Not this little prem, she came out with 2two front teeth!
L’il Aussie Prems Foundation
L’il Aussie Prems Foundation is Australia’s largest online support community and forum for families of prematurely born children and sick newborns. They are a voluntary not-for-profit organisation set up to provide online support, raise awareness, bring parents together who have traveled a similar path whilst encouraging families to share their personal and unique journey through our website. No matter where families are located geographically, our website and support services are assessable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Foundation’s website was initially established in 2007 by a premmie mum who gave birth to her first son at 27 weeks gestation. The forum and website continue to offer a lifeline to families. In October 2012, with the goal of expanding the online support provided to families, L’il Aussie Prems Foundation became a registered charity, incorporated in the state of Victoria.
The Foundations committee members are all parents who have each experienced a very personal and unique journey after the premature birth of their children. As members of the forum community for many years, they each understand the vulnerability parents feel in a similar situation, the importance of an online community and the integral role the Foundation plays with offering a safe and supportive environment to each family.
Flu Shot and Preterm Birth
Having a flu shot may reduce the risk of having a preterm birth. A new study in the US reported that women who received the vaccine and gave birth during the flu season were 40% less likely to have a baby born prematurely.
Preemie Help Competition!
Calling all Preemie Parents!
Help Preemie Help, Help Preemies - by entering our preemie photo competition with the chance to win great prizes including, the preemiehelp ebook, “The Complete Guide to: Preemie Development.” and a Earlybirds Gift voucher (2 x $50) from Earlybirds
Enter as many categories you like for a chance to win. The categories are;
- 1. life in the NICU
- 2. my brave preemie
- 3. look at me now!
To enter, visit Earlybirds facebook page at www.facebook.com/earlybirds and make a comment, and then email your photo to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with the title “photo competition - and the category the entry is for”
Best entries will appear on preemiehelp.com and competition winners will be announced on the 30th June. The competition winners as well as our highly recommended entries will also go toward developing a promotional video, please let us know if you would prefer not to be involved, you will still be eligible for the prizes.
Caffeine & Preterm Infants
Caffeine therapy is frequently used to reduce apnea in infants born preterm. It has been shown to improve both short- and long-term outcomes in preemies born less than 1,250 grams. In an Australia study called Caffeine in Apnea of Prematurity (CAP for short) the proportion of infants with lung injury called bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) was lower when caffeine treatment started within the first 10 days of life compared with a placebo. Additionally, these researchers found that at 18 months preemies were less likely to be developmentally delayed or have cerebral palsy.
It is thought that the improvement in neurological outcome for preterm babies who have received caffeine therapy is due to the effect on cerebral white matter. Researchers from the CAP study reported that preemies who received caffeine for apnea may have more mature cerebral white matter organization. They also suggest that caffeine may be exerting a direct neuroprotective effect
The CAP study is now in the process of looking at the long-term outcome following caffeine treatment and will perform neuropsychological, lung functioning, and imaging analyzes on these children at age 11 years.
Breastfeeding & Pain in Preemies
Not only is pain in preemie babies upsetting annd stressful for parents, if pain is not managed well it can have serious negative consequences, both short- and long-term. It can affect preemie babies' ongoing sensitivity to pain, stress arousal systems, and brain development. In the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) pain associated with procedures such as pricking for blood tests are managed with interventions such as skin-to-skin care, swaddling, nesting, pacifiers, nonnutritive sucking, and sweet tastes. Breastfeeding, a natural, simple alternative, offers simultaneously the pain-reducing components of familiar odor, maternal skin-to-skin contact, sucking, and the ingestion of breast milk. In babies who are born full term, it has been reported that breastfeeding during painful procedures can reduce the pain response by 80 to 90% without producing any negative side effects. This approach had not been evaluated in preemie babies, in part due to a concern preemie babies may associate breastfeeding with pain, which could affect their ability to feed effectively and gain weight, as well impact mother-baby bonding.
Recently, a randomized control trial conducted by investigators from the Child & Family Research Institute at BC Children's Hospital and The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, had their results of a study investiagting this very issue in PAIN (which is a scientific journal).
This research study looked at whether breastfeeding during the painful procedure would have a negative impact on the development of breastfeeding skills, and whether preemie babies who had more mature breastfeeding behaviors would have lower pain scores and heart rates during blood collection than less experienced feeders.
The results from the study showed that for the preemie group as a whole, breastfeeding did not reduce either behavioral or physiological pain during blood collection. But importantly, there were negative affects on breastfeeding skill development either. Preemie babies who were more advanced in their ability to feed did have significantly lower behavioral pain scores.
Photo Competition Winners Announced
Congratulations to the preemiehelp photo competition winners!
Thanks too all the people that entered our Preemiehelp Photo competition.
The winners share in great prizes including, the preemiehelp ebook, “The Complete Guide to: Preemie Development.” and a Earlybirds Gift voucher (2 x $50) from Earlybirds
And the Winners are...
After much deliberation we can annouce the winners of the Preemiehelp 'preemie photo competition' .
Prizes are awarded for 3 categories
- Life in the NICU
- My Brave Preemie
- Look at Me Now
After an overwhelming responce to the competition we are happy to announce that..
In First Place
Collecting a prize of $50 Earlybirds Voucher (earlybirds.com.au) and a full set of the Preemiehelp "The preemie guide to: Surviving the NICU" & " The preemie guide to: Preemie development" is:
Angela Perry - Life in the NICU
With her winning photo -
In Second Place
Collecting a prize of $50 Earlybirds Voucher (earlybirds.com.au) and the Preemiehelp ebook " The preemie guide to: Preemie development" is:
Andrea Creighton - My Brave Preemie
With her winning photo -
In Third Place
Collecting a full set of the Preemiehelp ebooks "The preemie guide to: Surviving the NICU" & " The preemie guide to: Preemie development" is:
Ken & Lisa Young - Look at me now
With their winning photo -
Preterm Birth Risk for Asthma
According to a Swedish study infants born preterm are at greater risk for requiring medication for asthma during childhood and adolescence. Using data from national health and prescription registries the researchers reported that 4.9% of boys and 3.8% of girls had filled prescriptions for corticosteroids, which is the medication needed for sufferers of asthma. They found that infants born less than 39 weeks were more likely to need the medication, infact the more preterm a baby was born the more likely they required medication for asthma.
Oxygen Level & Preemies
Premature babies have underdeveloped lungs when they are born and so often require supplemental oxygen to survive. However, the level of oxygen needed to help preemies without causing other health problems has been a cause of much debate. A scientific publication in the New England Journal of Medicine has concluded that higher oxygen concentrations improve survival, but also note that this is not necessarily without risks.
Everything you need to know in a simple hands on guide!
A quick and comprehensive guide to understand all that is happening when you are faced with preterm birth and the NICU.
Packed with extra features like progress charts, NICU checklists and plenty of others. ‘The preemie guide’ is a must for any new parent.
Take control and know all you need to with ease
Help us help you!
Preemiehelp.com is here to provide preemie information, community and solutions to the people that need it most... you!
Preemie Help is also looking to provide a resource for any professionals that have contact with preterm babies and children in order to help them best understand the challenges that face a preemie. Get in contact to help us impact preemies.
Preemie, Premmie, or Prem?
Most babies spend between 38 and 42 weeks in their mother’s uterus. So, technically a preterm birth, preemie, premmie, or prem, is an infant who is born less than 37 completed gestational weeks.
Read More: Defining Preterm birth
New Release - Preemie Development
All in one easy to read eguide
‘The complete preemie guide to: ‘Preemie development’ is the must have guide to the NICU for new preemie parents.
With an easy-to-read layout this comprehensive guide is over 130 pages of important information about the NICU and your preemie.
Using Adobe’s .pdf format makes the guide usable across a wide range of platforms from ipad to PC, smartphone to macbook.
Packed with extra features like progress charts, NICU checklists and plenty of others. ‘The preemie guide’ is a must for any new parents.
