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There is nothing more precious than a newborn baby, but not all babies are born healthy. Some babies are born so small that their categorized as preemies. My daughter was born on time, but she was very small. When we first brought her home, she couldn't fit in any of the clothes we bought for her because they were all newborn. We needed preemie clothes for her. We never really knew the answer to why she was so tiny, but I was very sick near my later months of being pregnant. I eventually had to have an emergency c-section to have her too. Maybe my illness is why she was so tiny at birth.
World Prematurity Day is November 17th. Did you know that preemies are more susceptible to getting RSV? Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common, easily spread virus that almost all children catch at least once by the time they turn 2. RSV disease usually causes moderate-to-severe cold symptoms. However, for some babies, complications from RSV disease can lead to a serious lung infection.
Call your baby's doctor if your baby has any of these problems:
- Fast breathing or gasping for breath
- Spread-out nostrils and/or a caved-in chest when trying to breathe
- A bluish color around the mouth or fingernails
- A fever (in infants under 3 months of age, a fever greater than 100.4°F rectal is a cause for concern)
- Wash your hands thoroughly before touching your baby, and ask others to do the same
- Don't let anyone smoke in your home, or near your baby
- Wash your baby's toys, clothes, and bedding often
- Keep your baby away from crowds and young children and people with colds.
Please make sure to take the right precautions during this RSV season. One in three mothers haven't even heard of RSV so make sure to pass the word!
My husband was born a preemie. His mother smoked during her entire pregnancy and he was born in his seventh month. He was also born with 1 1/2 lungs too. That's right, one of his lungs isn't formed all the way. Maybe if people had been more informed in the old days about RSV and the dangers of smoking, he would have two normal lungs. Now that we do have the knowledge, wouldn't you like to pass it along?
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