What to Do When Your Baby Is Premature A Parent's Handbook for Coping with High-Risk Pregnancy and Caring for the Preterm Infant

"What's happening to me? Is my baby going to be okay?" Maybe you're reading this guide because you've been told you're at high risk for having a premature baby. Or perhaps you're reading it after your baby's unexpectedly early birth, and you're wondering what the future holds for this incredibly tiny person. You'll find all the answers you need in this comprehensive guide for parents, the first book to fully discuss both coping with high-risk pregnancy and caring for your premature baby. Topics include: Managing the High-Risk Pregnancy: Stalling preterm labor, coping with bed rest, medications to help the baby The First Twenty-four Hours after Delivery: What to expect right after the baby's born, coping with insurance, and more Your Preemie's Growth and Maturation: What to expect in terms of physical appearance and development for 24-, 28-, and 32-week preemies The NICU: What the neonatal intensive care unit looks like, equipment and staff, and how to be a good NICU parent Bringing Your Preemie Home: Getting your home ready, managing anxiety, feeding your preemie, keeping Dad involved Later-Life Development: Health, growth, and cognitive and psychological development as your baby matures Prematurity and the Special Needs Child: How to help your child lead a full life Featuring the most up-to-date medical information available and filled with the voices of dozens of parents who've been in your shoes, this reassuring guide will help you make the best choices for yourself and your baby.

JOSEPH A. GARCIA-PRATS, M.D., has been a practicing neonatologist at Baylor College of Medicine for more than twenty-five years and is medical director of the neonatal intensive care unit at Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston. He is the father of ten sons. <br><br>SHARON SIMMONS HORNFISCHER, R.N., B.S.N., a pediatric and emergency room nurse for more than twelve years, is the mother of three children, including a boy born eight weeks prematurely