Premature Babies: What to Expect when You're (no Longer) Expecting

"We just got off the phone with your doctor. We're going to induce you." At 34 weeks pregnant, these were the last words I wanted to hear from the nurse as my husband and I waited in the tiny cubicle in the Labor and Delivery ward at the hospital. My back had been bothering me off and on the past couple days, but this evening's pain pushed me over the edge, and we had gone to the emergency room. It turned out to be preeclampsia, and because of my dangerously high blood pressure, my liver and kidneys were starting to shut down. Like any pregnant woman, I asked the first thing that came to mind, "What about the baby?"

My daughter is now a boisterous two-year-old, and those frightening times are far behind us. They were frightening for multiple reasons; this was our first child, she was hooked up to a lot of machines, and we weren't sure what was going to happen to her or how long it would be before (and what we would do when) we could take her home. There is a great deal of medical information out there on prematurity; here are a few ideas and suggestions on the everyday and practical concerns and difficulties of dealing with a premature baby.

1.) Check out the NI CU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) facilities before you need them; good hospitals will include information about their NI CU in their baby classes. This should include their NI CU level and any affiliations with area children's hospitals. If know anyone who has had a preemie, ask them about their experiences with area hospitals. It was because of a friend's horrible experience with another hospital that caused us to choose ours, and I am eternally grateful that we did. Our hospital had a top-level NI CU with affiliation with one of the best children's hospitals in the region, and their staff was first-rate.