| A Word from Dr. Bill | ix |
| Part I | Parenting Your Preemie in the Hospital | 1 |
| Chapter 1 | The First Day--The Top 10 Questions About Premature Babies | 3 |
| Chapter 2 | Navigating the NICU | 14 |
| First Impressions | 14 |
| Profile of a Preemie | 16 |
| All Wired Up for Intensive Care | 17 |
| Finding Friends in the NICU--A Tale of Two Families | 19 |
| Be Nice to the Nurses | 22 |
| NICU Rules You Should Know | 23 |
| NICU Communication Tips | 25 |
| Who's Who in the NICU | 27 |
| Confessions of a NICU Doctor | 29 |
| Chapter 3 | Neonatology 101--A Primer for Parents of Preemies | 32 |
| Respiratory System | 33 |
| Neurologic System | 35 |
| Cardiovascular System | 36 |
| Gastrointestinal System | 39 |
| Temperature Regulation | 40 |
| Infection Control | 41 |
| Routine Nursing Care | 41 |
| Blood Tests | 44 |
| Chapter 4 | Working Through Your Fears and Feelings | 48 |
| Robbed | 48 |
| Unnatural | 49 |
| Overwhelmed | 49 |
| On an Emotional Roller Coaster | 50 |
| Ambivalent | 50 |
| Not Close to Your Baby | 51 |
| Hating Waiting | 52 |
| Doing Double Duty | 52 |
| Separation Anxiety | 52 |
| Stranger Anxiety | 53 |
| Bedside Boredom | 53 |
| Helpless | 53 |
| Guilty | 54 |
| Afraid | 55 |
| Prone to Meltdowns | 55 |
| Depressed | 56 |
| Dreaming About D-Day | 56 |
| Chapter 5 | Helping Your Baby Grow in the Hospital | 57 |
| Be Your Best at Baby's Bedside | 57 |
| Learn Stage-Appropriate Stimulation | 59 |
| Provide Breast Milk for Your Baby | 64 |
| Become Familiar with Your Baby's Care | 66 |
| Practice Kangaroo Care | 68 |
| Decorate Your Preemie's Hospital "Nursery" | 75 |
| Take Good Care of Yourself | 76 |
| Part II | Feeding Your Preemie | 81 |
| Chapter 6 | Mother's Milk--The Perfect Food for Preemies | 83 |
| Why Mother's Milk Is So Special for Preemies | 83 |
| Why Breastfeeding Is So Special for Mothers of Preemies | 90 |
| How Breastfeeding Works | 92 |
| Pumping Milk for Your Preemie | 93 |
| Chapter 7 | Feeding Your Preemie at the Breast | 104 |
| When Can You Start? | 104 |
| "Get Acquainted with the Breast" Feedings | 104 |
| First Latch-On Feedings | 105 |
| Is Baby Getting Enough Milk? | 112 |
| Breastfeeding Your Preemie at Home | 114 |
| Feeding Questions You May Have | 116 |
| Chapter 8 | Bottlefeeding Your Preemie | 121 |
| First Feedings | 121 |
| Special Precautions | 122 |
| Special Techniques | 124 |
| How Much? How Often? | 125 |
| Choosing a Formula | 128 |
| Formula Allergies | 129 |
| Night Feedings | 130 |
| Part III | Parenting Your Preemie at Home | 133 |
| Chapter 9 | Homecoming | 135 |
| Preparing for D-Day | 135 |
| Feelings You May Have | 139 |
| Making a Home for Your Baby | 140 |
| Setting Up Your Team of Helpers | 142 |
| Handling Siblings | 143 |
| First Visit to Baby's Doctor | 146 |
| Chapter 10 | Developing a Parenting Style That's Best for Preemies | 148 |
| The Seven Baby B's | 148 |
| How Attachment Parenting Helps Preemies Grow--What Science Says | 164 |
| Chapter 11 | Common Concerns During the First Year | 166 |
| Feeding Concerns | 166 |
| Developmental Concerns | 170 |
| Nine Ways to Help Your Preemie's Development | 172 |
| Early Intervention Programs | 174 |
| Traveling with Preemies--When and How? | 176 |
| Parenting Twins and Multiples | 179 |
| Chapter 12 | Medical Challenges for the Premature Baby | 183 |
| Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) | 183 |
| Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) and Chronic Lung Disease (CLD) | 184 |
| Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) | 186 |
| Reactive Airway Disease (RAD) | 188 |
| Air Leaks | 188 |
| Anemia | 189 |
| Apnea of Prematurity | 191 |
| Jaundice, or Hyperbilirubinemia | 193 |
| Hearing Loss | 194 |
| Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) | 195 |
| Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) | 198 |
| Infections | 200 |
| Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) | 201 |
| Strabismus | 202 |
| Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH) | 202 |
| Hydrocephalus | 203 |
| Cerebral Palsy (CP) | 205 |
| Hernia | 205 |
| Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) | 206 |
| Seizures | 207 |
| Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) | 207 |
| If Your Baby Dies--Grieving | 209 |
| Appendices | 213 |
| 1. | Weight Conversion Table | 213 |
| 2. | Discharge Resources | 215 |
| 3. | Plotting Your Preemie's Growth in the NICU | 217 |
| 4. | Plotting Your Baby's Growth Through the First Year | 221 |
| 5. | Newborn and Infant CPR | 225 |
| Glossary of Medical Terms | 229 |
| Resources | 235 |
| Index | 237 |
