Concerns and special care
Babies born between 34 and 37 weeks might experience some breathing difficulty, and they might not have the stamina to feed sufficiently, but generally they develop well. For preemies born at 24 weeks, there is considerably more cause for concern. Although they have all their parts, their bodies are entirely immature. Of greatest significance are the immature central nervous systems and lungs. These babies suffer the risk of severe lung complications, infection, feeding problems, and heart difficulties. They're prone to interventricular hemorrhages (bleeding in the brain) from the stress of delivery. Some of them suffer other problems of differing severity.
Another critical issue with small babies is a dangerous lack of glucose. If a baby doesn't have enough fat, she doesn't have the ability to generate sufficient glucose -- the fuel for production of energy for survival. She can become hypoglycemic and suffer seizures or brain damage. Hospital staff watch the glucose levels of low-birth-weight babies very closely and, if there's any sign of hypoglycemia, they provide glucose intravenously.
Hospital stay
No matter how severe a premature baby's condition is to begin with, it's a hospital's goal to get her home with her parents, under the security of her own roof, as soon as she is medically able to be there. If a baby is born at 24 weeks, she'll usually stay in hospital for three or four months, or until she reaches 37 or 38 weeks of gestational age. For the babies who are born closer to term and whose conditions are less complicated, hospitals send them home by 35 or 36 weeks, or as soon as they are gaining weight well.
Going home
Mothers of preterm infants are generally discharged after 24 or 48 hours, and, if the babies can be discharged within a few days of that, the hospital will often put the parents up in a parent's room so they can stay close and the mother can breast-feed. If the baby has to stay longer, parents are encouraged to visit at any time and parent's rooms are generally available for overnight stays.
Some babies go home with a rather complicated setup, including oxygen and several medications. If the baby has had difficulty breathing and has damage to her lungs, she may require oxygen for a few months. These babies tend to be more irritable, and they don't sleep well, but most of a parent's attention must focus on the feeding of a home-bound preemie, because it's critical that the baby add weight as quickly as possible. But it's not unusual for parents to feel nervous when, after weeks of hospital care, this little creature becomes their primary responsibility. Parents in this situation do have one advantage: Most parents of preterm infants have become extremely knowledgeable about their babies and their required care by the time they take them home.
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