A few months ago, a 420 gram baby that has come forward. He has been admitted to Vall d'Hebron since then. He was born with 24 weeks of gestation, only one more than today is considered the viability barrier. This baby is a miracle that gives hope to parents who have small premature babies. Saüc weighed 420 grams at birth and his recovery has been excellent, weighing already 2,500 grams.
The key to his wonderful recovery considers his parents that it has been medical care, but also that they have applied almost completely kangaroo method, which today is considered scientifically proven to be the best for premature babies, improving their growth and reducing sequelae and complications.
I think of the injustice of letting babies who would benefit from the kangaroo method remain in incubators. Many Neonatal units force their parents to be separated from them, allowing visits only at "drinking hours", which prevents breastfeeding on demand that does so well to these children.
The separation of these babies causes enormous psychological suffering to their parents, and although we cannot quantify it, they, so small, separated from the womb that they should be receiving them, must suffer as well. Permanent skin-to-skin contact has many demonstrated advantages. It is time for our hospitals to give their best to premature babies.
When I hear of a baby who was born prematurely but in a hospital that is not aware and prepared to apply the babysitter, I am still indignant and feeling a great sorrow for this family. The psychological suffering of the parents and the health of the child should be priorities that our Health should defend over obsolete protocols and standards.
The news of this 420 gram baby that has come forward, of this brave fighter, is beautiful and also serves us to realize how much remains to improve in the attention to the neonates.
