Baby Born at 32 Weeks of Pregnancy

Having a full-term pregnancy is always beneficial for the full-fledged growth of the baby. But this is not possible every time and your baby could be born at 32 weeks of pregnancy. These are called as preterm babies and they are not developed as much as a baby should be.

What Causes Child Birth at 32 Weeks?

The following factors can trigger childbirth in the 32nd week of gestation:

• Presence of multiple babies such as twins or triplets.
• Any problems in placenta leading to it being separated early, or if it is insufficient in providing for the baby.
• The mother is suffering from an infection.
• Consuming illegal drugs, drinking alcoholic beverages or smoking while pregnant.
• Irritable uterus or an incompetent cervix leading to failure in holding the baby securely.

Development of a Premature Baby Born at 32 Weeks

Babies born at 32 weeks generally weigh around 1.5 to 3 kg and are usually 20 inches in length. Most babies do end up breathing by themselves even though the lungs have not developed fully. They only need a supplementary oxygen supply to help maintain healthy oxygen levels in the body.

The hair is present in good quantities in some, while others have only a few of them. Testicles of male babies have usually descended down into the scrotum. For others, that occurs over time. The baby is totally aware of its surroundings since all its senses are functioning pretty well, and rarely have any disabilities related to sensory perception.

Incubators to keep the body temperature warm and units to maintain blood pressure and glucose levels might be deemed necessary in the NICU until your baby grows up.

What Happens if the Baby is Born at 32 Weeks?

For a baby born at 32 weeks, complications can quickly get out of hand if immediate precautions are not undertaken and the right type of care is not administered.

1. Underweight Child

Since the weight of the child is not at a level that it ought to be, feeding the child becomes the prime priority to help him gain the weight. In absence of it, the child can suffer from hypothermia if not placed in an incubator, until the weight gain is normalized over the next few weeks.

2. Feeding Issues

Feeding itself can be a problem since the baby might not be able to suckle at the breast successfully. At times, underdeveloped babies may fail to digest breastmilk effectively leading to more problems. In such cases, feeding is done via tubes passed directly into the little one’s stomach.

3. Brain Development Problems

Learning and behavioural issues could be present in the child since his brain has not had the time to develop fully. By the 32nd week of pregnancy, the baby’s brain is found to be only at 66% of its final development stage.

4. Weak Immune Systems

The immunity receives a mega-boost from the mother in the final stages of the pregnancy. Due to premature birth, the immunity is not strong enough making the baby an easy target for infections, especially with all the tubes and injections being used to support the child.

How to Take Care of Preemie Born at 32 Weeks?

Preventive care is the best option. By undertaking proper prenatal care, the risks of premature birth can be minimized and premature labour itself can be stopped or delayed.

Since feeding is paramount, squeezing your breasts or using your breast pump to express the milk should be necessary to be given to the child.

Many people recommend undertaking the care of your child the way a kangaroo does. This mostly means increasing skin-to-skin contact as much as possible. Hold your baby against your bare breasts for as long as possible to keep him naturally warm and safe.

Knowing that your premature baby might face developmental delays, you can look for special programs that can help your child learn things the right way and mature as soon as possible.

What is the Survival Rate of Babies Born at 32 Weeks?

For most babies born at 7 months survival rate is generally quite high. Advancement in medical science and technology has made it possible to use cutting-edge equipment and techniques to reduce infant mortality and ensure that your baby can grow up in a healthy manner.

How Long Will a Baby Born at 32 Weeks Stay in the NICU?

If your baby has been born prematurely or if a baby is born at 32 weeks, you might be wondering how long would you have to stay in the hospital. You might want to take your little one to the safety of your home and take care of him yourself. Pre-term babies do tend to resemble a full-grown newborn but internally, they are yet to reach a level where they can sustain themselves.

Primarily, the immunity strength of your baby needs to catch up in order to fight off infections successfully. The strength to be able to suckle at a breast successfully needs to be manifested so that the tubes can be removed and your baby can feed off your breast naturally. All the procedures might keep your baby a lot more awake than usual, so it is necessary to keep them asleep in order to boost their growth.

Before the doctor hands over the baby from the NICU, they will check if the baby meets all the milestones of feeding, breathing and staying warm without any external support. All these major milestones are of absolute importance for the baby to live.

Having a baby born at 32 weeks old can be quite unnerving for you. But by taking measures to protect the baby and letting him develop in a secure environment, you can return home with your baby within a few weeks and continue raising him up just like any other child.