quick clicks

twins today articles

twins today q&a

community & groups

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

Welcome Home, Little One

Bringing Your Preemie Home

By Katherine Bontrager

Moms and dads also need to take care of themselves. "Remember, all parents need breaks, and being a parent of a preemie is no different," says Ardolf. "Let yourself go for a short walk alone for 10 minutes and slowly work up to the amount of time you'd need to go grocery shopping. You'll build confidence in yourself and your helpers by doing so."

Once you become comfortable with the help others can offer, take advantage of it! "I asked my children's grandparents to help out once a month or so, for a whole weekend, so we could rest and gain the time we needed to keep ourselves strong for the babies," Wyman says. "I trained the grandparents how to feed the babies and what to do if any problems arose. They were wonderful, and always ready to help out. An emotional support system is critical with premature babies."

It's important to remember that babies are truly miracles, says Wyman. "It's amazing to me how well they do with love and lots of bonding time," she says. "It helped me to hold strong to my belief that each child would grow up healthy and strong, and I literally decided to act that way all the time. I knew there'd be milestones and made sure I watched for each one along the way and intervened if I saw any developmental delays."

And this plan has worked its magic. Today Wyman's daughter, who showed signs of dyslexia and perceptual problems, is finishing up medical school. Her specialty is pediatrics. Wyman's son, who came so close to being lost, has dysgraphia (a small motor problem), but graduated from a four-year university. His specialty is working with at-risk children and adults.

"New medical miracles to help premature babies are happening every day," says Wyman. "And at the end of that rainbow, a loving parent – who knows what to expect and how to intervene – will work miracles in itself."

Want to see more?

• Preemie Problems: Learn What to Expect and
  How to Cope
• The Kangaroo Care Method: Safe, Gentle Bonding Benefits Preemies
• Breastfeeding a Preemie: A New Mom's Experience
• Talk about it!

Post As:
Enter your comment below:
Title
Comment Text
CAPTCHA
Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection.