Preemie questions for new mummy :)

[emaritska]

Hi girls, now Ethan is just over 5weeks I'm finding the questions are stacking up...and seeing as my hv is bit of an old bag...thought I'd ask you girls as you are the experts:

Any one else's LO gain weight at a stupidly fast pace??
Birth:5lb 2oz
2weeks: 4lb 7oz
3weeks: 5lb 13
4weeks: 6lb 3.5
5weeks: 7lb 1!!!!!

I'm pleased he is growing but seems so quick!!!

How long a stretch do they sleep at night? We usually manage 4hrs max....other babies I know doing 6-8hrs but they were term........

When do preemies smile? Is this by corrected age? My LO has started opening his mouth super wide and his eyes light up....but hv says he won't smile till he is 11weeks actual (6corrected)....surely it's different for every baby????

Any advice or comparisons welcome!!! Xxxx

 

[BleedingBlack]

Wow he's growing great! My little girl is a 33 weeker, 4 months old and weighs 8lbs. She started smiling at 3 months old.

 

[emaritska]

Wow he's growing great! My little girl is a 33 weeker, 4 months old and weighs 8lbs. She started smiling at 3 months old.

Thanks...I thought I should be pleased at his growth but hv just says "oh...he has gained even more weight" each week like its a bad thing!!!!!

 

[confused87com]

they always say they should do things at corrected age, but mikey was obviously smiling 4 days before his due date, even the hv agreed that. he sat up at 6 months actual as well....now to master the walking. I think they do things in theri own time, they have had more stimulation to smile than a baby just born so if u think he is smiling he prob is.......good on the weight gain, mine still hasnt really figured that out!

 

[cherry22]

My son was born at 32weeks and his weight shot up since he has been out of specail care!

In the last 3 weeks he has gone from 5lb 5oz to 7lb 1oz which i thought was loads but i guess that gaining is a good thing loosing isnt!

Just curious are you BF or Bottle feeding? I found that he shot up after i started giving him formular!

My son smiles with wind sometimes really big ones but im not sure its a proper smile yet!

 

[dizz]

At least your health visitor has actually considered the realms of corrected age... mine just had me guilt tripped and flipped out that she hadn't smiled at the designated time!

As for weight gain - we gained slowly to start with, then went through some massive spurts and now seem to be back slower and steadier. She was 4lb 15 when born, and last weighing at 12 weeks she was 9lb 14... no one's expressed any concern - just pointed out she's starting to catch up.

My girl doesn't smile much - she's a mardy bum who makes you earn 'em... but she was probably slightly ahead of when you'd expect her to do it on adjusted age, and obviously well behind on her chronological age (and boy am I pissed they flagged it as a "concern" at her 6 week check - she shouldn't even have blooming been BORN by then so don't mark her as a failure for not having smiled!)

 

[AP]

Smiling is different for any baby, term or premature, but we didnt get a smile until about 12 weeks corrected.

Again for sleeping its very different for any baby - right now four hours is great. Even my term baby slept for 4 hours max for a loooooong time!

His weight gain is fantastic!

 

[Honeybear1976]

Some babies do things earlier than others, expect milestones to be met between actual and adjusted age and then you wont worry Sleeping for 4hrs is good, they only have little bellies so wake when hungry and just like adults some are hungrier than others and some days eat more than others Are you bf or ff?

 

[emaritska]

I am ff now.....we started off bf but it wasn't working for either of us, I was exhausted, Ethan was starving!!! He is on aptimil and takes 4oz every 4 hours, or at least he was until he has hit this growth spurt :/
Now it feels like all he does is feed!!!!!!

 

[PleaseBaby]

Amelia (27 weeker) Smiled at 4 weeks corrected. Shes put on about a pound a month since being home x

 

[Foogirl]

The best advice is to avoid any comparison at all. As long as there is weight gain, that's what matters. for milestones, ignore the charts and go with gut feeling. I have no idea when Abby smiled, nor when she started sleeping longer. It didn't seem important to me to check the date.

 

[akblaze]

I wouldn't worry about your LO gaining weight at a faster pace. My baby girl was born 35 weeks, 5lb 14 oz and is now 6 weeks (1 week adjusted) and is 9lb 1 oz!! She LOVES to eat, I think because she was in the NICU for two weeks because she couldn't eat! Also, she hasn't really smiled yet.. she will in her sleep which is probably gas? I'm soooo looking forward to her smiling but if it goes by the adjusted age then we have a while to wait
oh, and she is sleeping max 5 hours in one stretch... her pediatrician said not to let her go more than that just yet.

 

[WantsALittle1]

Our little girl practices smiles and frowns all day long, both while sleeping and awake. I know it's not a *real* smile because it's not voluntary, but we get to see her face light up all the time when she practices. Keep an eye out, you may catch it too!

 

[emaritska]

Hi ladies, thanks for the replies....some of you might be aware Ethan was hospitalised with bacterial meningitis recently......which he clearly found funny as he started smiling whilst admitted!!!!

He is recovering really well, smiling lots at mummys silly face xxxx

 

[emaritska]

Oh and little chunk is 10lb 7 at 13weeks now xxxx

 

[dizz]

Hi ladies, thanks for the replies....some of you might be aware Ethan was hospitalised with bacterial meningitis recently......which he clearly found funny as he started smiling whilst admitted!!!!

He is recovering really well, smiling lots at mummys silly face xxxx

Mine started smiling like crazy in the doctors getting her vaccinations - strange child!

 

[AP]

Bless him

 

[WantsALittle1]

Hi ladies, thanks for the replies....some of you might be aware Ethan was hospitalised with bacterial meningitis recently......which he clearly found funny as he started smiling whilst admitted!!!!

He is recovering really well, smiling lots at mummys silly face xxxx

Wishing him a speedy and uneventful recovery! xoxo