What happens when your baby is born too soon?

by Melissa Field

Giving birth is a nerve-racking experience at any time but if your baby is born prematurely, fears and worries are heightened immensely. Here's what you can expect if your baby is born too soon

Delivering a premature baby places you as a parent on an emotional roller coaster. Mums and dads of prem babies can expect to experience a mixture of stress, fear, optimism, despair, hope and depression after baby's birth. However, there is free help and counselling available and you will discover that you're not alone. In fact, the UK has the highest incidence of low birthweight babies born in Western Europe, with up to ten per cent of all babies born here (around 70,000 each year) needing some form of special care after birth.

So why are some babies born prematurely (before 37 weeks)? Around half of prem baby births have no known cause but research has found that in the case of the other 50 per cent, the age of the mother may be a reason. Mums under 18 or over 35 have an increased risk of delivering early; in the case of young mums, there is a higher likelihood that the mother smokes and has a poor diet, while in the case of older mums, there's more chance that she'll be carrying more than one baby through natural conception or IVF. Cervical incompetence is another possible cause of preterm delivery. This means that the cervix isn't strong enough to stay closed during the pregnancy which can cause labour to start too soon.

Whatever the reason for premature delivery, babies who are born too soon now have a vast array of medical care awaiting them upon arrival. The earlier the baby is born - and today, 24-25 weeks is as early as it's possible to be born and have any chance of survival - the more hospital care your baby will need. Most premature babies suffer from breathing problems, due to the immaturity of their lungs at birth. If a doctor suspects a baby will be born prematurely, often she will be administered a corticosteroid medication to help speed up lung development and prevent bleeding into the baby's brain after birth.

Once your baby is delivered, it's likely she will be taken straight to the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU). It can be distressing for new mums to be apart from their baby, but a premature baby needs the specialised care the unit can provide. Once in the SCBU, her temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and breathing will be constantly monitored, with her care overseen by a neonatologist - a consultant doctor with additional training in the care of sick and premature babies. She may be placed on a ventilator to help her breathe and she may also have IV (intravenous lines) inserted to feed and obtain medication from. She may also have a catheter inserted into the umbilical cord to give fluids and obtain blood. The array of tubes, wires and lines into your baby may can be upsetting but they're all there to help your baby grow and get well.

Depending on your baby's age at birth, she may be susceptible to certain problems. These can include respiratory problems such as apnea (stopping breathing) and respiratory distress syndrome, when the air sacs in her lungs can't stay open due to their immaturity. She may also have problems with too low or too high blood pressure and a low heart rate. She may be jaundiced, have difficulty feeding, suffer from bleeding into the brain and be prone to infection. In terms of her appearance, she will of course, be small (weighing less than 2,500g, 5lb 8oz), her skin may be thin, shiny and appear to be almost translucent, she'll have very little body fat, which can make it difficult for her to stay warm and she'll probably have little hair on her head but lots of lanugo (body hair - to help keep her warm).