Congratulations on your new arrival, and yes, in almost every case your contracted hours can still be used. Here’s what typically changes, and what doesn’t, when baby arrives early.
Your Hours Are Still Yours
A premature arrival doesn’t forfeit the care you’ve contracted for. What usually shifts is the timeline and, sometimes, the type of support that makes the most sense given where you are in the NICU or home transition process.
What Might Look Different
- Start date. If baby is still in the NICU, your hours may start once you’re home rather than immediately after birth. We can work with you to adjust the start date without losing your contracted time.
- Type of support needed. Some families want support with older siblings, meal help, or household logistics while baby is still hospitalized, before newborn-specific care even begins. Others want extra help with the more complex care that can come with a preemie once home: closer feeding monitoring, apnea concerns, more frequent weight checks, or a NICU-to-home schedule that doesn’t look like a typical newborn’s yet.
- Caregiver matching. If your baby has specific medical needs coming out of the NICU, we’ll make sure your assigned caregiver has relevant experience.
What to Do Next
- Reach out to us as soon as you’re able. Let us know baby arrived early and roughly where things stand (still in NICU, expected discharge timing, any specific care needs).
- We’ll help you re-map the timeline. Your contracted hours get shifted to match your actual start date and needs, not the original due-date-based plan.
- We’ll talk through any special care considerations. If your baby is coming home with monitoring equipment, a feeding plan, or other NICU discharge instructions, we’ll make sure that’s reflected in how care is planned.
You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone
A NICU stay and premature birth already come with a lot to manage. Adjusting the logistics of your newborn care shouldn’t be one more thing weighing on you. Reach out whenever you’re ready, even if that’s while you’re still doing NICU visits, and we’ll take care of remapping the plan around your real timeline.
Helpful resources: preemie care from HealthyChildren.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we still use our newborn care hours after a premature birth?
Yes. If your baby arrives early or stays in the NICU, we work with you to shift the start date and adjust your hours around your baby’s homecoming, so your support is there when you actually need it.
At SLC Newborn Care, our team provides overnight newborn care for families across the Salt Lake City area. Reach out to us with any questions.