Going home

Feel free to contact the neonatal unit during the first week after discharge.

You can reach us at the phone number 52 73 23 70.

Please don't hesitate to ask any questions, big or small, or share any thoughts you have about your premature baby.

In the neonatal unit, your baby has been in an environment with a lot of sensory input and stimuli. The staff at the unit have tried to minimize these stimuli as much as possible. After discharge, your baby may still be affected by having been in an environment with sometimes overwhelming sounds, lights, and other stimuli.

You may notice this, for example, if your baby reacts with restlessness and discomfort to new situations and surroundings. It is very important now to focus on normal interaction and bonding when you get home. Your baby needs a lot of physical and emotional contact with you, as well as with siblings, to develop. But they also need quiet and breaks in between.

When your baby cries, it doesn't necessarily mean they're hungry. Perhaps they want contact with you, or maybe they just need some peace and a break from their surroundings? Practice interpreting your baby's signals! This requires practice because the signals are often brief and unclear. But it's important to try and figure this out. This way, your baby learns that they can influence their environment. It's a good idea to protect your premature baby from too many stimuli at the same time.

You can do this by:

• Having a calm and regular routine in daily life.
• Gradually introducing your baby to new people and new surroundings.

Teaching your baby to dall asleep independently

• It should be avoided that the baby gets used to falling asleep with the breast or bottle in their mouth. Do not rock, sway, or pat the baby to sleep.
• Some babies may cry a bit before falling asleep; this is normal.

Night feedings: Food, not comfort

• Only provide food at night (comforting should not be associated with feeding).
• Preferably, no night feedings for babies over 6 months (corrected age).
• It is not necessary to change the baby’s diaper at night if the skin is fine and the baby has not had a bowel movement.

Avoid picking the baby up if they wake up

• Try to calm the baby in the crib with your voice or gentle touch.
• If necessary, change the diaper in the crib.
• Picking the baby up into the parents’ bed can easily become a habit.
• If the baby is breastfed, it is often better if the father tries to comfort the baby (this is especially important when you are trying to stop nighttime feedings).

Good sleep habits

• Find a routine or ritual for bedtime (night).
• Gradually reduce activity (calm down before bed).
• Mark the difference between day and night (bedtime clothes, dark room).
• Evening baths can be relaxing (or the opposite for some).
• Repeat the same ritual every night.
• Try to keep a consistent bedtime (even on weekends).

Avoid letting the baby become overtired

• Regular and fixed nap times during the day.
• Limit stimuli and activity in the evening.
• Do not skip daytime naps (hoping for better nighttime sleep).

When the baby goes home from the neonatal unit, they will be fed either breast milk or infant formula. We recommend self-regulation during breastfeeding, but no more than 4 hours between feedings if the baby weighs 3.5 kg.

Feed the baby approximately every 4 hours when they are receiving formula. It is not necessary to wake the baby during the night to feed, but most babies will still want a nighttime feeding.

For babies born very prematurely, solid foods can be introduced between 2-4 months corrected age, or 4-6 months after birth. This should be assessed based on the baby’s growth and well-being.

Discuss with the public health nurse before starting. Some premature babies may have difficulty swallowing and may gag easily. Take your time, start with thin, porridge-like foods, and gradually transition to a more normal consistency.

To avoid the baby resisting new tastes and textures, it is important not to wait too long before introducing solid foods to premature babies.

It is recommended that preterm infants receive the vaccines included in the vaccination program. The vaccines are typically given according to their chronological age.

It is important for children to receive these vaccines to avoid infections. The vaccines are administered at the health center.

Read more about vitamin and iron supplements

When you get home, you generally don't need to do anything different than you would if the child had been born at full term.

In the neonatal unit, the environment is warmer, but at home, you can have a normal room temperature. In the bedroom, the temperature should not exceed 18°C, but it should also not be too cold.

Dress the baby according to the temperature, and it's a good idea to put a hat on the baby in the bedroom. Avoid placing the baby directly under an open window.

To prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), it is recommended that the baby sleeps on their back until they are able to turn themselves. Make sure to alternate the baby's head position between the right and left side.

Use common sense when taking the baby out for a stroll. Check the thermometer and take the wind into consideration. When the temperature is below -10°C and there is strong wind, it is best to keep the baby indoors. Gradually increase the time spent outside.

You can, of course, take the baby out in the car right away.

For traffic safety, it's best for the baby to sit in a rear-facing infant car seat, where the impact from a collision is distributed across the entire back. However, children should not sit in the seat for too long. Physiotherapists recommend that the baby should only sit for a maximum of 30 minutes at a time, especially in the beginning.

Please refer to specific brochures for guidelines on how to secure children in cars, or visit the websites of Trygg Trafikk for helpful information, Norwegian Council for Road Safety  - Trygg Trafikk

Some of the smallest preterm infants may be especially vulnerable to infectious diseases after leaving the hospital.

To minimize the risk of exposing your baby to unnecessary infections:

• Avoid visitors who are sick or have a cold, both children and adults.
• Avoid taking the baby to places with a higher risk of infection, such as shopping malls or large gatherings.
• If parents or siblings are sick:
  • Practice good hand hygiene.
  • Avoid coughing or sneezing near the baby.
  • Refrain from kissing the baby.

These precautions help protect the baby from potential infections as their immune system continues to develop.

Premature babies often experience lung problems during the newborn period. Some may have been on a ventilator, and some may have required oxygen for several weeks. All infants, especially preterm ones, have sensitive mucous membranes in their airways and lungs.

Due to this, they are more vulnerable to lung diseases such as bronchitis and pneumonia.

Avoid Smoking:

• Tobacco smoke irritates the airways, so it is important to avoid smoking in the room or home where the baby is.
• Research has shown that the nicotine content in breast milk is four times higher than in the mother's blood.

This is a strong reason to quit smoking. If quitting is not possible, it is best to smoke right after breastfeeding when the breast is empty. This allows the maximum amount of nicotine to leave the body before the next milk production for the next feeding.