Preparing for Preemies

For five months, Julie and Peter Crooks visited their daughter, Kellie, born 17 weeks early and weighing barely a pound, in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kan.

Though already experienced parents of 2-year-old Jacob, the Crooks weren’t prepared to care for a baby as fragile as Kellie. So the nurses taught them how to change Kellie’s diapers without overstressing her, how to pump and store Julie’s breast milk for future bottle feedings and how to recognize the signs of illness. When Kellie was well enough to go home, the Crooks felt prepared.

“We were confident that we could take care of Kellie without the medical staff, but our confidence weakened when the lack of sleep hit," says Julie Crooks, a stay-at-home mother. "We had to deal with all the normal baby care, plus an apnea monitor and supplemental oxygen, and she required feedings every three to four hours.”

Parents of preemies like the Crooks, who are eager and grateful to finally take their babies home, are often surprised by how difficult the transition is, especially handling their infant’s medical care. During their daughter’s first year at home, Kellie saw seven specialists and had up to four appointments a week.