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You find yourself in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit); your baby has come into the world prematurely and suddenly your “perfect” pregnancy takes on an entirely new definition: that of being the parent of a premature baby. After searching for a reason as to “why” this has happened by absorbing every book, article and website you can find on the topic, you quickly come to the realization that it’s not about the “why”…it’s about the “how” – how you’re going to deal with this unexpected experience…how you’re going to push past the feelings of anxiety and fear and bring yourself to a place of strength for you and your baby.

When I had my twin preemies at just 25 weeks, they weighed 1 pound 12 ounces each. When the fog cleared, I realized that I had to develop a way of coping with my new “normal”. The first thing I did was create a vision of who I needed to become to give my babies what they needed to survive and thrive. Below are five simple principles of P.E.A.C.E. I developed that helped me. They can guide you through the discovery process of going from discharging the NICU to admit a new you…both now and in the years to come.
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This is a guest post written by Lauren Dzuris. Lauren runs FindMyCarSeat, a baby car seat website that helps soon to be parents find the right car seat for their child, while giving them tips and advice on everything from pregnancy to caring for your baby.

Having a baby is truly a blessing. They change our lives forever and help us create that family we’ve always wanted. All babies are different in looks, size, and are different for every woman during their pregnancy.

If you’re someone who has delivered a premature baby, you’re not the only one. There are thousands of preemies born each year and a high majority of them do just fine in their life. They may be a little behind and smaller than most babies but they still very easy to love!

Dealing with a preemie for the first time can be a little difficult for any parent, especially if this is your first time around. Babies can be quite exhausting and overwhelming for the first few weeks. Although, it will only get better from here on out. If you’re looking for some tips and advice to care for your preemie, here are some tips to consider!

5 Tips for Parents with Premature Infants

1. Try to create a bond with your baby from the day they’re born. They may be in the NICU but just them hearing your voice and feeling your presence in the room can be enough.

2. Don’t blame yourself for them being premature. Things happen during pregnancy and nothing goes 100% planned or the way we want it. All you can do is just be thankful they’re here!

3. Holding your baby closely while they’re premature is important. Having your baby feel that skin on skin contact is very beneficial to them and yourself. This is known to help them breathe better, grow stronger and feel more loved.

4. If you can, and if your baby is able to try and breastfeed. Your baby will take all the nutrients they can right now. Breastfeeding also has several benefits for bonding and giving them what their bodies need. Formula is still at great choice, but breastfeeding them especially while they’re premature has its benefits!

5. Before you leave the hospital, really try and soak in as much information as possible. Getting tips from the hospital staff is very important and can be very beneficial. They will be able to tell you how to care for them and how to handle your emotions. Getting as much help and advice from others is important!

There is nothing more important than getting your rest and making sure your baby is taken care of. If you are offered any help with them whatsoever, be sure to take it! Getting used to your baby will take time, but you will find how easy it is to love them!

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This week CNN published Study: Average preemie costs $49,000 in first year.

The average cost of medical care for a premature or low birth-weight baby for its first year of life is about $49,000, according to a new report from the March of Dimes Foundation. By contrast, a newborn without complications costs $4,551 for care in its first year of life, the report said. Newborns with other kinds of complications, such as congenital defects, have medical expenses of $10,273 on average in the first year. Read Entire Article.

I think $49,000 seems like a low estimate. Considering by definition that a premature baby is one born before the 37th week of pregnancy, I can see how that can skew the results.  My youngest daughter, Tatym, was born over 3 weeks early (thus before the 37th week), but was still happy and healthy and a bouncing 7 lb. 4 oz. I didn’t consider her a preemie at all.

Whereas my twins were born over 13 weeks premature, and they maxed out the $1 million lifetime benefits on our health insurance.  See why I call Macy and Mallory my million dollar miracle babies?

I wonder how much the Octuplets‘ care is going to cost?!  I think I’m going to dress up as Octomom for Halloween this year! Where shall I look for a Plus size costume?

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