We each brought home preemie twins and have partnered with thousands of families that have found themselves looking into the face of the tiniest of human beings.
The sensation felt when the baby/blanket bundle first reaches your embrace emboldens the protective instincts and although those lungs may seem strong, the body seems so unreasonably delicate. Those tiny tummies only hold so much at a time. And it can feel like the pressure to ensure that feedings keep up with growth expectations become the sole focus.
One thing is for sure, 24 hours a day, you feel like you are calculating something. Sleep times, minutes of breastfeeding, amounts in storage, number of diapers, weights and ounces and intervals of every variety. Who knew there would be so much math involved in raising a preemie? (I fed my twins like they were preemies until they were about to pop! Even as a pediatric nurse, no one told me when that could stop! Luckily, their 5 month old, chubby cheeks just made them look like they belonged in the family. – Jen)
If you are anything like us, with little time to think, and IN the rhythm of survival by default, without a plan to get OUT of that stage and into the sustainable habits that appear on the other side of prematurity. You are not alone and to help, we have made you what we call the MOC Preemie Progress Cheat Sheet- a chart to help you move from survival to sustainability.
This is meant to help take the “guess work” out of progressing schedules. Some babies may advance earlier or later by as much as a few days to an excess of a week or two. Engage with our esteemed consultation network to make this experience even easier with personalized support through these transitions. It is our hope that this is a way to guide these sweet littles into routines that honor their strength and resiliency (and yours!).
Head over to our Free Resources page to get Moms on Call’s Preemie Progress Cheat Sheet! While you’re there, browse through our Knowledge Center for all kinds of tips, tricks and insights to support you, no matter where you are in your parenting journey!
