America's foremost baby and childcare experts explain how you can help your premature baby thrive and flourish--in the hospital and at home. If your baby is born prematurely, it's natural to feel special concern. In the first few weeks after your baby's birth, you may grapple not only with complex medical decisions but also with the need to anticipate developmental issues that could affect your child later on. The Premature Baby Book offers the tools and advice you need to become comfortable with your potentially bewildering new role. The Searses show you how to be a valuable part of the medical team, helping your baby thrive by offering the care that only a parent can give. Among the topics they cover: Getting to know the important people and the cutting-edge equipment in the neonatal intensive care unit A preemie's unique features and needs--head to toe, system by system Methods for dealing with the fears and feelings common to new parents of premature babies Ways parents can bond with their newborn during the infant's extended hospital stay Breastfeeding versus bottlefeeding, and how to develop a healthy feeding pattern in the early days Necessary preparations for bringing baby home Common concerns and medical challenges during the first year Like the Searses' bestselling Baby Book , this guide focuses on the essential needs of babies--eating, sleeping, development, health, and comfort. Drawing on more than three decades of pediatric experience, The Premature Baby Book is the most comprehensive, authoritative, and reassuring guide ever written for the parents of premature babies.