When Can I Take My Premature Baby Out?

Just slightly more than 10% of babies born in the United States are born prematurely or “preterm” — born prior to 37 weeks of pregnancy. Preterm babies can have increased health risks compared to babies born at term, and that means you need to know a few extra things about their care, like how soon you can introduce them to the “outside” world.

Jag Ambwani, MD, FAAP, Dolly Ubhrani, MD, April Mieswinkel, NP, Richard Lam, FNP, Gabrielle Yates, CPNP-PC, Audrey M. Merrill, MD, and the entire team at One World Pediatrics are dedicated to providing support and care for the special needs of preterm infants. 

In this post, learn how to tell when it’s OK to take your baby out, so you can feel confident about their health and wellness.

Taking your baby home from the NICU

The first time you’ll be taking your baby “out” will be that big day when you can finally take them home from their time in the neonatal intensive care unit (or NICU). Here, there’s no single correct answer for when that will be. Instead, it depends on how early your baby is born, the health issues they may be facing, and how they’ve developed during their time in the NICU.

In most instances, you can expect your baby to stay in the NICU until close to their “normal” delivery date, typically 37 weeks after conception. In some limited circumstances, you may be able to take your baby home slightly earlier, but you should also plan for the consequence of a longer NICU stay.

Babies born earlier than 37 weeks of gestation are more prone to serious health problems, including problems with their respiratory systems, cardiovascular systems, and gastrointestinal systems. Taking them home too early makes it much harder or even impossible for them to get the care they need to thrive and continue developing.

Introducing your baby to the world

Once your baby is home, you may be wondering how long you’ll need to wait before you can take your baby on outings to visit family members or even accompany you on your errands. Again, the answer depends on your baby. For many preterm babies, it’s a good idea to avoid outings for the first few months. 

Remember, your baby’s immune system also takes longer to develop, and that means they can be prone to serious illnesses and diseases. Avoiding outings during the first 10-12 weeks after the drive home is a good way to give their immune system a chance to develop while also enabling your baby to adjust in other key ways.

Once you begin taking your baby out and about, you should still avoid shopping malls, crowded grocery stores, and other locales and events with lots of people. 

This additional step helps prevent exposing your baby to germs that could cause infections or other problems, especially if their respiratory, cardiovascular, or gastrointestinal systems are still developing. Don’t take your baby out when the weather is bad, either.

More ways to project your baby

It’s perfectly natural to want to introduce your baby to family and other loved ones during home visits, but again, it’s important to take a few extra steps to prevent your baby from getting sick.

• Make sure visitors wash their hands thoroughly before touching your baby
• Limit the number of visitors who stop by at any given time
• Don’t allow visits from people who are sick or have a fever
• Don’t allow visits from people who’ve had recent contact with someone who’s ill
• Don’t allow your guests to smoke in your home or near your baby

The March of Dimes recommends asking visitors to be vaccinated with the TDap vaccine before their visit to avoid potentially spreading dormant viruses — specifically, whooping cough (pertussis) — to your child.

Special care for your special family member

Our team knows all kids are special, and that’s why we provide the most comprehensive, patient-centered care based on each child’s individual needs — including the unique needs of “preemies.” 

To learn more about preterm infant care or to schedule a visit for your baby, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at One World Pediatrics in Longwood, Florida, today.