Low birthweight at term.. can i join?

[jkbmah]

hi all,

Technically my LO wasnt premature as she was born at 39 weeks but she had a surprisingly low birthweight of 5lb1oz. noone knows why this is, i was measuring normal, had a big bump, and didnt drink or smoke.

I am finding that a lot of my worries/concerns are the same as those of a prem baby - I am obsessed about her putting on weight - shes now only 5lb 13lb - 3 weeks later, Im sure she should be more than this.

I long for her to be the same size as my friends babies from antenatal class....

I am hoping, although she wasnt a premie, taht i can fnd some support here.

I would like to know if there is anyone else who has had such a low birthweight baby at term ??? -

 

[katy1310]

Hello

Welcome, and congratulations on the birth of your LO. Of course you can join and ask us anything you need to about your concerns etc.

My LO was born at 27 weeks, weighing just 1lb 13. When she reached her due date she was 5lb 6 so roughly about the same as your LO. She is now 8 months old (but should be 5 months) and is 13lb 11oz. She is small, but strong and doing really well. We've actually really enjoyed having a small baby for longer! She's still in 0-3 month clothes now but apart from her small size, she's completely alert and doing everything she should be doing for a 5 month old.

I think as long as your LO puts on weight regularly that's the main thing.

If you have any concerns at all, feel free to air them on here and we'll do our best to help

 

[Sugarmuppet]

Congrats on the birth of your little one!

Gaby wasn't very premature but my waters broke at 30 weeks so she hadn't grown much since then. She was 4lb 8oz when she was born and went down to just over 3lb. She was nearly back up to 4lb when she came home.

Mum was just saying to me that Gaby won't be my little baby for much longer, and I said to her that at least she was little for longer than most babies! I have enjoyed it too, she is still in 0-3 month dresses at 9 months.

As Katy says as long as they put on weight thats the main thing.

 

[Fiestagal]

My LO was 5 weeks earlier but at 2lb 11 1/2oz was the size of a baby much smaller. I do obsess about weight charts and centiles but recently have started to relax about it. If people do ask his age I find myself saying 'he's x (age) but was early that's why he's small.' I suppose it's a self defence thing so they don't say 'god that's small' or something similar.

He was slightly behind on his milestones but not much. Like the others have said clothes last much longer, we at 15 months are still in size 3-6 months!

We were recently referred to the dietician and he is now on high calorie formula, we've yet to see a huge difference in weight gain though.

 

[Dilek]

hi hun my lo is a low birth baby he was born 38 +6weeks at 2.06kg.
we spent time in neonatal cause of low blood sugar and he couldnt regulate temps.

we are also obssessed with his weight, we weigh him everyday and take his temp.
we have 7 layers on him plus hat to keep him warm.

would love to chat to u. lo is currently sleeping in my arms.
he weighs 2.7kg today and i bf

 

[sleeping bubs]

hey my lo was term 39weeks and was lbw he weighed 4lb 7oz at birth and now at 14months he weighs 15lb 12oz and in 3-6m trousers and 6-9m vests and tops. I know how u feel trying to make sure they put on weight Mckenzie has had few set backs with tonsillitis and now he has a bad cough so is been sick (at night!!) He was on Nutriprem2 until he was 6m now on SMA high energy formula. we are seeing dietitian in 2 weeks to see if there is anything else we can do lol.

HOWEVER he is so so so active he doesn't stop not even in his sleep lol he runs around constantly lol so as long as your little one is healthy and alert there is no cause for concern easy to say than do I know lol

 

[jkbmah]

hi hun my lo is a low birth baby he was born 38 +6weeks at 2.06kg.
we spent time in neonatal cause of low blood sugar and he couldnt regulate temps.

we are also obssessed with his weight, we weigh him everyday and take his temp.
we have 7 layers on him plus hat to keep him warm.

would love to chat to u. lo is currently sleeping in my arms.
he weighs 2.7kg today and i bf

hi Dilek - please do PM me. Do they know why your LO was small?

everyone keeps asking me "why is she so small?" "was she early"? "did they get your dates wrong?" - NO!!!!

Emilia was jaundice because she was slow to start feeding (never latched on) and it took the midwies almost 2 days to let us start with bottle feeding. Im almost 100% expressing (the occasional top-up with formula if my supply dwindles).

We had a scare the other night as she was projectile vomiting everything after feeds so we went to A&E because of her birthweight - everything is so much scarier - luckily we think it was just a bad day as shes been fine since -

fngers crossed she continues to gain xxx and for your LO too!

 

[LeanneS177]

hi hun, both my girls were small for gestational age, adele (38+0) was 5lb 3 oz and kacey (38+3) was 6lb 1 oz.

in both pregnancies I was diagnosed with IUGR (intra uterine growth restriction) due to poor blood supply from the umbilical cord. with both girls my fh stopped growing at a normal rate around 34 weeks and so I was sent for growth and well being scans to make sure blood flow hadnt stopped completelty, and both times doctors decided they were better out than in and induced me.

although still on the smaller side (adele is on the 30th centile for weight and kacey the 20th) they are both perfectly healthy. i too stressed about them gaining weight as quickly as possible but I try to enjoy the fact I'll have "little" girls for longer, in fact my friends who had 10lb'ers are jealous as they never had little babies.

 

[Laura2919]

Hi Hun, My friend had her son at 39 weeks and he was only 5lb 10oz, They didnt really know why he was small but he is a healthy 3 year old now. My girls were 3lb10oz and 3lb5oz and I remember that people thought I was pushing around dollys People actually pulled me by the arm to look.. One day your LO will grow up and you will want that small little baby again. As long as she is healthy then its all that matters..

 

[Jemma_x]

Connor was born at 37+5 weighing 4lb 8oz, he was so small due to iugr. He is 17 months and weighs 19lb and is still in some 3-6 clothes and some 6-9 clothes. I used to panic constantly about his weight and still do sometimes but ive realised that aslong as hes healthy and happy thats the main thing and like the others have said hes been my baby for longer

 

[_Vicky_]

Hi

Sam was 5lb4 and Fynn 5lb12 - Sam had the hourly sugar checks in hospital. Fynn was in NICU for something else but Sams weight dropped a bit after birth and they didnt discharge him. I obsessed about him being tiny for so long the midwive called him a 'scrag end'

Now well he was 24lb at 9 months and on the 98th percentile and Fynn was 23lb - your gorgeous LO may catch up or she may be small. My friedns little girl is 9 months now and 14lb and perfectly healthy - just small xxxx

 

[New2Bumps]

Hi
Ethan wasn't low weight for his age (6lb but a month early) but wanted to agree with what others have said about him being smaller for longer! Ethan was in early baby then Tiny Baby clothes for months. At 9mo he started really growing. He was born on the 2nd percentile and is now on the 75th. My very very good friends baby was also a month early and was 3lb 8, and at 14months is now in 9-12m clothes, just, so more like your situation I guess.
Even with Ethan at 6lb I used to get 'oh isn't he small' all the time and that was so so annoying so I really empathise. xx

 

[jkbmah]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I do feel more at home here, everyone thinks she acts like a 35 weeker.

Emilia is now 6lb4oz at 5 weeks. shes just dropped below the 0.4th centile by a tiny bit (they are using the Full term chart not the preemie one).

No-one seems to be able to tell me how much she should be eating per day (shes averaging about 550 -600ml in 24 hours) - I even had the HV here yesterday and she said she didnt know and would have to check!!! - useless!

 

[AP]

I dont think there is a preemie chart hun, unless they fall off the chart? we use the normal one too

 

[peachies]

hi, i see that you had a baby with low birth weight at full term. i also have a son who was born at 39wks, he only weigh 4pounds 13. i see your post was in 2010 and was wonder how is your child doing now. am so worryied about my wee boy gaining weigth. he is 8 months now and is 14 pounds 1 still very small for has age. thanks

 

[Lucy139]

My ds was born on his due date and only weighed 5lb 13oz for mine and oh builds that's smaller than he was expected to be I didn't smoke or drink so try are unsure why he was so small, after 10 days in scbu he left hospital weighing 6lb 1 he's now a healthy 4 year old of average height and weight x

 

[peachies]

i was the same didnt smoke or drink. i went 2 all my scans it was a shock 2 doctors that he was so small