How well did your preemie gain weight?

[sunnylove]

I'm just a little bit worried because my 26 weeker came out weighing 2lbs, 7.6ozs. He of course lost some weight, and went down to 2lbs, 1oz. The nurses and doctors don't really look at weight gain until the 2 week mark, where they say they like to see baby back to his original birth weight. Baby will be 2 weeks old in just 2 days, and he has only gone up to 2lbs, 4ozs.

I'm not that worried because he came out big for his age, but I am a little worried his weight gain has been so stagnant. They are feeding him 19ccs of milk, if that indicates anything.

Should I be worried? Or is the 2 week mark not something to be overly concerned about? How well did your preemie gain weight?

 

[25weeker]

My daughter was and still is rubbish at gaining weight. It took her over 6 weeks to reach 1 Kilo from 659g. When we were in neonatal we were told that a term baby usually gains 30g s day but with a prem they are happy with 10g.

As his milk increases the weight gain may speed up. They may also decide to add fortifier to his milk to increase calories which is very common with prems as well.

 

[jandksmommy]

My daughter didn't start gaining weight well until she was about 2 months old. She was 1lb 6oz at birth, dropped to 1lb by the end of week one, then very slowly gained. She was 5 weeks old before she got up to 2lbs. It was so slow in the beginning but when she started gaining... wow did she gain!! Sometimes 2 oz a day!

 

[shelbelle33]

My son was born at 3lbs 8oz and lost about 4oz in the first week or so. He got up to about 4lbs while getting fed through the feeding tube. When they started bottle feeding his weight shot up. He's been home about a month and has been gaining weight really well.

 

[rbourre]

My daughter gained pretty well while on feeding tube. She was born weighing 2lbs 2oz. When she went home after 62 days, she weighed 5lbs 3oz. She will be 10 months old on Thursday and weighs around 15 pounds now. She doesn't gain very fast, but she gains enough weight.

They were just looking for any increase in weight while she was in the NICU. As long as it went up, they were happy.

 

[Sam182]

My son didn't gain weight steadily until he came home at three months. He then had great weight gain until he became a crazy toddler burning loads of calories!

 

[sunnylove]

So a couple weeks before his 2 week mark, baby made it up to 2lbs, 6ozs. But because they were worried about an infection, they put him on antibiotics and stopped his feedings (he ended up having no infection). I think had they continued feeding him he would have made it to his birth weight! So he's been at 2lbs 6ozs the last 4 nights because he's been given fluids through IV but they started regular milk feedings today so hopefully he starts to gain again!

 

[sunnylove]

Urg. I'm a little depressed. Baby is 30 weeks gestation today and he's only weighing 2 pounds, 11 ounces. I know most babies born at 30 weeks are at least 3 pounds. And the baby next to us who was born the same day as my son, except that baby is 2 weeks ahead, is 32 weeks now and weighs 4lbs!! Urg, I don't know why he's not gaining.

 

[AP]

Try not to compare hun! I have seen babies older than 30 weeks smaller than my 27 weeker when she was born,(like you she was a big baby at 2lb 14oz) its so varied!!!!

 

[chelseav1213]

My LO wasnt born as early (34 weeks) & was HUGE! 7lbs 1 oz, but he has been terrible at gaining ever since day 1!! He isnt a great eater either tho and never has been (only reason he stayed in the NICU for.2.5 weeks) he id slowly gaining more and more now, but is still small for his age. im sorry ur dealing wth this I will never forget the heart sink when i heard "well he lost a few oz" or "no gain today!" (& he was NG tube fed usually, high calorie formula enriched BM so definitely getting the calories! Dont get discouraged, he sounds like he is doing great being so early!!

 

[rbourre]

Try not to compare hun! I have seen babies older than 30 weeks smaller than my 27 weeker when she was born,(like you she was a big baby at 2lb 14oz) its so varied!!!!

My daughter was 29+5 and only 2lbs 2oz. I agree with trying not to compare. My cousin had a preemie a few months ago at 29+2 and he was 3lbs 9oz and is now around 12 pounds. It took my daughter like 7-8 months to get to 12 pounds.

 

[misspriss]

Mine was born 3lbs 15oz, went down to 3lbs 9oz, and was 4lbs 12oz at 19 days. He gained around 5 ounces per week from 2-5 weeks, and 7 ounces per week from 5-7 weeks, 12.5 ounces per week from 7-9 weeks, and 10.5 ounces per week from 9-14.

 

[Havmercy]

Our son was born at 32 weeks weighing 3lbs 9oz. He lost 4 oz after he was born. We kept a growth chart in his NICU room over his bed. We took pictures of him every week and taped them to the poster. By the time he came come after 6 weeks, he was weighing 6lbs 3oz. Even though his weight is off the preemie chart now, he is still in the 3rd percentile for a full term child. He weighs 18 lbs now at 13 months (11 adjusted). He was breastfed for a year, so he didn't blow up like I've seen formula babies do.

 

[hello_kitty]

My baby was a "late" preemie and came at 32 weeks. He weighed 3 lbs 11 oz, and by the time he left in 5 weeks he gained a little over 3 lbs. At his first pediatric check up which was 2 days later he gained 1/2 lb.