Are you a mom or a mom-to-be? The last few weeks of your third trimester feel like they last forever. It’s common for moms to say “I am so ready for the baby to be here,” but it is important to remember that babies delivered prior to 37 weeks often run the risk for many health complications due to underdeveloped lungs, muscles, and immune systems.
World Prematurity Day
Did you know that November 17th is World Prematurity Day? It is a day where where we focus our attention to those beautiful babies who are struggling to survive, and to those who died because they were born too soon.
Babies born prematurely are more susceptible to illness, disease and viruses like RSV. RSV – Respiratory Syncytial Virus – is a seasonal virus that can have relatively minor symptoms in many babies, but can develop into a serious infection in high-risk babies like preemies.
I carried The Boy for 41 weeks. I am thankful that he was healthy and thriving at birth. However, that did not prevent him from contracting the RSV virus at six-months old. It was a very scary experience. We had to give him breathing treatments a few times a day, and I was constantly monitoring his breathing. Night and day. It was a stressful and exhausting time for our family.
There are a few precautions that you can take to help protect your baby.
- 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, young children, and people with colds
While you may believe that your baby is not at high risk for RSV, it effects nearly every child under the age of two. RSV is spread just as easily as the flu. This cold season, take precautions to protect your baby.
If you would like to learn more about RSV and how you can prevent it, visit RSV Prevention and share this article with your friends and family.
Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of MedImmune and I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.
