Crying and Fussiness

All babies cry, but some cry more than others. Premature babies who have been in the NICU may be fussier than term babies. Some babies who have been in the NICU have trouble adjusting to the quiet of home.

Sleeping

You can do several things to make sleeping safe for your baby. She may have slept on her tummy in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). At home, she needs to sleep on her back.

Handwashing

Everyone who wants to touch your baby should first wash her hands. Caretakers should wash their hands often, especially after changing a diaper, using the bathroom, wiping another child's nose, or blowing their noses.

Visitors and Visiting

Babies who have been in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are often at higher risk of getting an infection than other infants. So you need to be careful where you take the baby and who comes to visit her.

Never Shake Your Baby!

Never shake a baby because his tiny, fragile brain may be damaged. It takes only a few seconds of shaking to cause irreversible brain damage in an infant.

Medications

Many babies go home from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) on some medication for apnea, reflux or respiratory problems. You will learn to give your baby her medication before she leaves the hospital.

Equipment

Some NICU babies are strong enough to go home, but need help from special equipment. Before the baby leaves the hospital, parents should learn how to use the equipment and practice using it.

Continuing Medical Care

You will probably visit your baby's health care provider about 12 times during her first year. Some of these visits will be routine well-baby visits that help to keep your baby healthy.

When to Call the Doctor

This article tells parents of babies who have been in a NICU when they need to call a health care provider.