Premature babies

When your baby is born more than 3 weeks before their due date,  they’re called a premature baby and the birth is a preterm or premature birth.  

Premature baby

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If a premature baby has apnoea of prematurity, it means they stop breathing at times for 15 to 20 seconds. 

Some premature babies need eye checks to screen for a condition called retinopathy of prematurity. Find out what happens when your premature baby has an eye check to look at the back of the eye.

Iron is important for brain development and making new red blood cells to prevent a low red blood cell count.

Some pēpi (babies) will need home oxygen to help with their breathing.

Vitamin D helps your baby use calcium to build and maintain strong bones.