Early Arrivals
Not all pregnancies follow the textbook and some babies arrive early. Sometimes parents may have been expecting an early arrival due to complications during pregnancy and sometimes an early arrival comes as a big shock.
Although the official medical definition of ‘preterm’ is birth before 37 weeks, some babies arrive much earlier than this. When a baby arrives early, whatever the circumstances, it can be a time of great stress and anxiety. It is likely that, as new parents, you may appreciate some extra help and support as you make the transition to parenthood.
The staff in the Neonatal unit will be able to help you get as involved in your baby’s care as possible and there are many ways you can support your baby’s transition to the world and early development. You also need to make time to care for yourself and each other which can seem particularly complicated when dealing with the demands of caring for a premature baby. For more details on support & resources available for parents of premature babies here in Luxembourg take a look at our article Having a Premature Baby.
Article by: Kate Ensor, who is a coordinator for Passage and a postnatal group facilitator & childbirth educator at the Well Baby Clinic of Luxembourg.
Last updated: Wednesday 14th October, 2015