Question
How long is it safe for a newborn to be in an incubator? My baby was born weighing 2.38 kg and was directly sent to the incubator. The doctor said the length of stay is undecided. The baby has slightly low blood sugar after a medical examination, and has been injected with glucose. Everything else is fine. I don’t understand what the doctor meant when he gave all the items a score of 10 on his note!
Answer
Patient, 1 day old, premature (32 weeks and 3 days), low birth weight, experienced hypoglycemia after birth, which has improved after correction. The mother was diagnosed with gestational hypertension. Guidance: Hello! There is no need to worry about your concerns. Your baby is in the incubator for only good reasons and no harm at all. Your baby is a premature infant and has a low birth weight; he came into this world unprepared and cannot yet adapt to the surrounding environment. He loses body heat more severely, which is prone to hypothermia and frostbite (babies are much less tolerant of cold than adults). Therefore, the incubator provides him with a comfortable environment to grow a bit more and be able to adapt to the surrounding environment. Doctor’s question: Is there anything else you are worried about that you can ask me?