26-28 weeks

At this gestation your baby's organs and senses are
underdeveloped. Your touch should be gentle, sounds should be soft
and lighting should be dim. Care for your baby is specialised
because your baby is so small and young.
Touching and holding
At this point your baby's skin is underdeveloped, fragile and
sensitive. Baby's also have difficulty maintaining their
temperature and staying warm due to underdeveloped skin. Your baby
will be nursed in a heated incubator with some humidity to help
with the development if skin and to maintain their temperature.
What can you do?
- Prepare your baby for touch by speaking to them in a soft
voice.
- Touch your baby slowly, gently and deliberately without making
sudden movements.
- When changing your baby's nappy be calm and gentle, try not to
provide a stressful environment for your baby.

- Place your finger in the palm of your baby's hand for them to
hold.
- Containment holding - place your hands gently at your baby's
head and bottom.
- Move your hands away from your baby slowly and gently, with no
abrupt movements.
- Kangaroo care and skin to skin - holding your baby may be
possible depending on your baby's condition and development, please
speak to the nurse looking after your baby.
Feeding and nutrition
At this age your baby can taste and smell, however their stomach
is underdeveloped. At this stage your baby will be getting all its
nutrition through drips and feeding tubes. If your baby is having
milk it will be a very small amount increasing very slowly.
You may see your baby starting to suck on their tubes and fingers;
at this point it will be useful to introduce a dummy.
What can you do?
- You should be expressing your milk as soon as possible, whether
its hand expressing or from the pump. Breast milk is important for
your baby as it helps build up your baby's immunity and helps
prevent infections.

- Kangaroo care and skin to skin will help with your milk
production.
- Consider placing a breast pad scented of your milk during tube
feeds.
- Your baby may suck on their dummy for short periods of time,
it's likely that your baby will need help keeping it in their
mouth.
Sleeping
It is often difficult to tell if your baby is asleep or awake at
this gestation. Generally babies will be quiet and content when
they are asleep, or be active and moving when they are awake. Your
baby will mainly be quiet at this age but you will notice brief
periods of your baby being awake and alert.
What can you do?
- When your baby is asleep it is important to try not to wake
them. Your baby will use fewer calories when sleeping which will
help with growth and development.
- Avoid light directly into your baby's eyes and try to keep
quiet around your baby's bed space.
- Before giving care to your baby, wake your baby by gently
placing your hands on them.
Positioning
At this age your baby's movement will mainly be jerks, twitches
and startles. Your baby will try and stretch its arms and legs but
will not yet have much control over these movements.
What can you do?
- Your baby should be nursed with boundaries around them to
imitate the womb.
- Your baby should maintain a snuggled "foetal" position to
facilitate emerging development of extension and flexion of their
arms and legs.
- When doing cares and repositioning your baby, this must be done
with slow, gentle movements without sudden changes.
Looking, listening and smelling
At this stage your baby's eyes will open but they will not be
able to focus. At this age your baby will recognise your voice and
smell, however your baby's senses will be very sensitive.
What can you do?
- Peel back the incubator cover slowly so that the light changes
around your baby are gradual.
- Shield your baby's eyes from bright or direct light.
- Avoid loud sounds and voices around your baby.
- Avoid placing visual stimulation in the incubator.
- Use a soft and quiet voice when talking to your baby.
- Protect your baby from strong odours like perfume and
aftershave.