does baby need to be a certain weight before hospitals allow them home ?

[o0Squeaks0o]

hi ladies hope your all doing ok

im just wondering if babies need to be a certain weight before hospital allows them home or if its just down to the baby being healthy enough to come home ? me and my couple of pregnant friends have been discussing this tonight. one thought the baby needs to reach a certain weight the other said she thought the babies weight didn't matter as long as the baby was healthy and given the ok to go home. me ... well i have no idea on what the weight deal is

xx

 

[optimistic1]

i dont think weight matters unless there super low in birth weight they might want to have the baby remain in the hospital where they can monitor how much they eat and make sure that there gaining weight...so yeah i think it matters but only if its a cause for concern.

 

[special_kala]

My hospital tends not to let preemies home until they are 4lbs but i think thats under a special care at home programme.

 

[summer rain]

It used to be, for prem babies only, that they needed to reach 5lb before being allowed home. These days though, they sometimes allow them to go home if over 4lb providing they are otherwise doing completely well xx

 

[amjon]

I'm pretty sure it's 4lbs. I think it may have to do with the car seats having 4lbs as the lowest weight they are certified for (some are more, but you can buy for 4lbs and up). The MFM told us 4lbs was take home weight once the boys were measured at 4 1/2lbs each.

 

[chulie]

There is usually a checklist they have to pass..I think anything under 5 lbs go to the nicu for "monitoring"...I think they have to pass a couple things at that point...prove they're gaining weight..certain feeding abilities( can they nurse without tiring too easily)...so it's not "just" weight...

 

[meli1981]

I thought it was over five pounds

 

[misspriss]

My hospital was just able to maintain body temp and in carseat guidelines. Most babies need 4lbs 5+oz to maintain body temp. My LO was released at 4lb10oz.

 

[JenzyKY]

Carseats only go down to 4 lb.

 

[ProudArmyWife]

In the US they have to be at least 5lbs because of weight limits on carseats.

 

[Pink Flowers]

round here any baby under 5lb has to go to sbcu as they are regarded low birth weight.

But if they are fine other than that they can go home as soon as they have been checked x

 

[misspriss]

In the US they have to be at least 5lbs because of weight limits on carseats.

Some US car seats go down to 4lbs. The Graco Snugride 30 was the one we used.

 

[BabyAitchison]

I got my dd home at 4lb 6oz, 4 days after I had her 5 wks early. But she had no problems and came to the ward with me xx

 

[sue_88]

At my hospital, any baby born before 37 weeks (even 36+6!) has to go to SCBU then gets brought to ward in an incubator. They then get weighed and checked over, if everything seems ok they can go into normal cot, then home as normal.