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If you are a parent to preemie twins, you are certainly not alone. Twins are much more likely to be born prematurely than are single babies. When you are finally able to take your preemie twins home from the hospital, there are several things you should know to aid their safety and well-being.
In This Post:
1. Keeping Preemies Comfortably Warm
Babies born prematurely have little body fat and therefore have difficulty staying warm. If you are bringing the twins home during the cooler months, turn the thermostat higher than you normally would. Keep the babies covered or swaddled in blankets to prevent chills. If you see either baby shivering, place them to your bare skin and wrap a blanket around both you and the baby until he or she warms.
2. Car Travel Safety with Preemie Twins
with preemies is more of a challenge than traveling with full-term babies. A preemie’s underdeveloped lungs increase the threat of airway obstruction/compression. For your preemie twins, you will need two infant car seats and these will need to be modified to make sure the preemies’ heads don’t loll around and that their breathing is not restricted. Discuss car seats with the nurses and doctors at the hospital before the twins are discharged.
3. Keep Important Phone Numbers Accessible
Besides the standard 911 emergency numbers; list the doctor’s number and all related medical numbers. Keep the numbers with you at all times and share them with anyone else who may spend time caring for the twins.
4. Sleeping Arrangements
Keeping the crib in your bedroom will provide more peace of mind during the first months of your preemie twins lives. Some preemies are sent home with sleep apnea monitors. If this is the case, you will want to be close at night in case it alarms.
5. Infant CPR Training
All caretakers in your home should receive training in infant CPR. You may have already received this prior to bringing your preemie twins home; if not, ask your doctor for recommended courses in your area.
6. Preventing Communicable Illness in Preemies
A preemie’s immune system is not very strong. For this reason, public outings should be limited to doctor visits, if possible, until the babies have grown stronger. Family and friends will want to see the new arrivals, but you should ask them to avoid visiting if they are ill or believe that they have been exposed to anything.
Preemie twins arrive with a unique set of challenges and rewards. As a new parent of preemie twins, you may find extra comfort, advice and friendship by joining support groups for parents of twins. There you can find other parents who understand the unique challenges you may experience.
Heather Smith is an ex-nanny. Passionate about thought leadership and writing, Heather regularly contributes to various career, social media, public relations, branding, and parenting blogs/websites. She also provides value to www.nanny.net/ service by giving advice on site design as well as the features and functionality to provide more and more value to nannies and families across the U.S. and Canada. She can be available at H.smith7295 [at] gmail.com.