When a child is just born, the obstetrician immediately measures his height and weight.

How important are these indicators, what are they in the norm and how to make sure that your baby weighs no more and no less than healthy children of his age?

How much should he grow in the first year of life and is it worth panicking if the parameters do not match the tabular data?

What about premature babies? We will consider these issues in the article, and also find out the opinion of Dr. Komarovsky on the problem of slow weight gain.

Birth weight - what is the norm for infants?

Averages normal weight newborn: from 2 kg 800 g to 3 kg 900 g. WHO proposes the following weight classification with growth from 45 to 55 cm.

Reference! The normal weight according to this table is an indicator that is in the range from "below average" to "above average".

If the weight of the child differs from these indicators, it should be taken into account at what time the birth occurred (in medical terminology, the gestational age). Weight gain rates are much lower and are described in the last paragraph of the article.

Average indicators for infants in the first year of life on breastfeeding

During the first week after birth, the weight of the baby usually decreases. Reasons for this phenomenon:

• in the first 3-5 days, the mammary glands of the mother produce colostrum in small quantities, which do not have a high calorie content, so the child's body is saturated, but does not store reserves and does not grow;
• the body loses excess fluid;
• passes the original feces.

Important! Weight loss rates in the first week are from 6 to 10%. If a child was born with a weight of 3500 g, after a week this figure may be 3150 g.

By the time of discharge from the hospital, the baby should begin to gain weight.

Over the next 12 months, the increase per month can range from 100 to 1500 g.

The increase is uneven: in the first few months there may be a jump of one and a half kilograms per month, which then decreases to an increase of 100-300 grams by the end of the first year of life.

• In the first, the weight increases monthly by 750 g.
• From 3 to 6 months - for 700 g.
• From 7 to 9 months - for 550 g.
• From 9 to 12 months - for 350 g.

During the first lives, the baby, on average, gains its weight at birth.

How to calculate how much the baby should add?

• After discharge from the hospital and the start of weight gain, the baby should recover to birth weight within 7-10 days (gain the lost 10%, which is 280-390 g).
• Over the next 6 months, the weight of the baby, on average, increases by the rate with which he was born. By the time when it will be possible to celebrate six months from the birthday, "Double" generic weight will be 5600 - 7800 g., i.e. an average of 700-750 per month.
• From six months to the first birthday, babies slow down their growth rate and weight should increase by 350-550 g. Monthly and approximately reach triple birth weight.

Important! There is no universal method for calculating weight gain for infants, but if the baby’s growth does not stop, there are no complaints about appetite and well-being, you can simply check the table of monthly gains for children up to a year old. You can find online calculators on the net that calculate required weight baby based on their height.

baby height and weight calculator

Select the gender and age of the baby to find out what the parameters of your child should be according to WHO standards ( World Organization Health)

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Average kg

high kg

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Table of norms from birth to 1 year by month

Small increase - possible causes

If the weight gain does not correspond to the table values, you should think about the reasons that interfere with the healthy development of the baby. The most common causes of malnutrition are the following:

1. Incorrect attachment to the breast. Many mothers take the fact that the baby has begun to suck milk more slowly as a signal to stop feeding or transfer to another breast. As a result, the baby drinks only “front” milk, which is intended to quench thirst, and the thicker “back” milk remains unclaimed.
2. Blanket abuse. The infant becomes accustomed to sucking on a pacifier and continues to breastfeed in the same way during breastfeeding. At the same time, milk production slows down, because a smaller amount is sucked out in one feeding, and the body perceives this as evidence that a large amount of milk is no longer needed.
3. Supplementation with water or baby teas leads to a decrease in calorie intake.
4. Separation of child from mother for the first few days after childbirth, associated with poor health of one of them, leads to a deterioration in the sucking skill or its late development.
5. Painful condition of the baby: prematurity, jaundice, colds, hidden organ defects negatively affect appetite - the body throws all its forces into fighting the disease, and not into feeding and gaining weight.
6. Features of the mammary glands of the mother: an incorrectly shaped nipple or underdeveloped channels through which milk flows, leads to the complication of feeding. In this case, special devices that change the shape of the nipple, as well as expressing milk and feeding the baby with a bottle, will help.
7. Hormonal disruptions in the body and breast surgery also affect the amount of milk.
8. stressful state the mother is subtly felt by the child, therefore, excessive nervousness about the quality and quantity of milk, the weight of the baby, the frequency of feeding leads to a reduction in the amount of milk produced.
9. Feeding frequency: doctors recommend giving the baby a breast at the first squeak, and at night not waking up a sleeping baby just because "he has not eaten for 3 hours." Force-feeding leads to stress and can result in the complete rejection of the baby from the breast.

Important! Remember: healthy child will not leave you hungry. As soon as he feels hungry, the mother will be informed about this by squeaking or crying. Forced feeding on a schedule negatively affects the activity of the digestive tract.

Bad set: the opinion of Dr. Komarovsky

The well-known pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky believes that if the child gains little weight, but the indicators still fit into the tables or there are deviations of up to 10%, do not panic.

All children are different, and heredity plays a significant role in the development of the baby, which can “emerge” even after several generations.

Important! If there are no complaints about the physical development of the child, and his weight is slowly but increasing, you can limit yourself to complementary foods from artificial mixtures. If the weight “stands” for a month or more, this is also a normal situation, often occurring by the end of the first year of life.

If the indicators are significantly different from those considered normal, you need to visit your pediatrician and talk about what worries you about slow weight gain. A complete examination of the baby and a clinical analysis of blood and urine will help to understand whether there is reason for concern and whether any pathology is hidden behind this symptom.

Large increase: possible causes

In the event that a child gains weight significantly more than children of his age, it is worth reconsidering his lifestyle. Most often the reason overweight under the age of one year is:

Children's doctors agree: if there are no complaints about the well-being and development of the child, you should not try to match the indicators of the tables.

Most of them were created in the course of research on the development of children who were on artificial feeding, in the 60s of the last century, so in modern realities they are often irrelevant.

Important! If there are changes in the behavior of the child, he began to sleep more or vice versa - more awake, the number of urination, the color of urine or feces has changed - regardless of compliance with the norms, it is necessary to seek medical help.

Schedule for premature babies

If a child was born prematurely, the rate of development of the organism directly depends on what was the weight of the child at birth. Normal weight gain will have the following values:

During the first year of life, the body of a little man develops rapidly.

A good way to control whether he gets enough nutrients- tracking weight gain and comparing it with normal values. If the child is gaining weight slowly or too quickly, this is a reason to consult a pediatrician.

The rate of weight gain in premature babies is an important indicator by which the development of the baby is monitored. Depending on how quickly and in what quantity the child adds, one can judge possible problems about what extra care he might need.

Premature babies need special attention: it is important to monitor the nutrition of babies, how they gain weight. Due to the immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract, low enzyme activity, lack of a sucking or swallowing reflex, and stomach aversion to food, these babies may have numerous feeding difficulties. An indicator such as weight gain in premature newborns helps to understand how well the baby’s nutrition is organized, and whether correction of the frequency and quality of feeding is required.

What are the degrees of prematurity

Premature babies are born before the 37th week of pregnancy, weighing less than 2.5 kg. Depending on what week of pregnancy the baby was born and on its weight, there are 4 degrees of prematurity:

• I degree of prematurity - babies born at 35 - 37 weeks with a weight of 2-2.5 kg;
• II degree of prematurity - babies born at 32 - 34 weeks with a weight of 1.5-2 kg;
• III degree of prematurity - children born at 29 -31 weeks weighing 1 - 1.5 kg, the third degree of prematurity is considered deep;
• IV degree of prematurity - children born before 29 weeks weighing less than a kilogram, this degree of prematurity is considered extreme.

Development Features

The development of premature babies has its own characteristics. This also manifests itself in appearance, and in the immaturity of the development of organs and systems. What is the difference between the development of a premature baby:

• Special type of work nervous system, it functions differently than in normal newborns. The nervous system of the child did not have time to go through all the stages of development, which affects the violation of thermoregulation, a decrease in tone. Such babies need even more attention, especially from their mothers. The baby is surrounded by care, affection, comfort.
• Toddlers learn behavioral skills later than their peers.
• If the weight of the baby is less than one and a half kilograms, for normal development, he needs to be in the incubator. This is a kind of incubator, where they create and maintain an artificial microclimate (temperature, humidity, oxygen content) that is optimal for the baby. If the baby has a large enough mass, he no longer needs an incubator, but the room in which the baby is located should be warm and sufficiently humid.

Development of premature babies by months

In the first months after birth, doctors distinguish three main stages, differing from each other in the child's weight gain and nutritional needs.

The first stage - the child loses weight. This happens in both full-term and premature babies. But in premature babies, weight loss is greater (normally, babies lose 5-6% of their weight, and premature babies from 10 to 15%). The amount of food during this period is minimal, but must be of high quality in order to provide the body with all the necessary nutrients.

The second stage is the stabilization of the condition, the baby can independently suck on the breast or bottle. Babies weighing 2.5 kg are already being transferred from the department with premature babies. The estimated weight gain for premature babies is about 125-200 grams per week.

The third stage - lasts up to a year (but for very premature babies even longer). At this stage, much attention is paid to the nutrition of the baby, proper feeding allows you to reduce the developmental lag from peers.

How is the weight gain of a premature baby by months with different degrees of prematurity

Depending on the time when the baby was born and body weight at birth, the intensity of weight gain will vary.

First degree prematurity:

The second degree of prematurity - a table of weight gain in premature babies by months:

Third degree of prematurity:

The fourth degree of prematurity - the rate of weight gain:

Height gains

Depending on the degree of prematurity, the increase in the growth of the baby will also differ.

Table growth increase in premature babies

Premature babies have their own physiological and anatomical features. This article will tell about the conditions of the newborn, its development and care features.

Premature babies are special creatures. Already outside the mother's belly, but still immature and unsuitable for the normal life of a newborn. These babies need special care and attention.

It does not always happen that prematurity for a particular baby is a very serious problem, because even ahead of schedule sometimes children are born with a normal weight, suck well at the breast and develop adequately.

Problematic premature babies - just born with a lack of body weight.
Care for such a baby is aimed at preventing hypoglycemia, maintaining optimal heat and feeding itself.

How to quickly gain weight in a premature baby?

Most the best option feeding a premature baby is mother's milk. It is worth noting that the milk of a woman who gave birth on time differs in composition from the milk of a mother who gave birth to a baby out of time. For premature babies, nature has provided milk with less fat and more protein.

• If possible, the baby should be breastfed or pumped mother's milk. If this is not possible, they are fed with special mixtures. Until a weight of 1800 g is reached, a starting, saturated mixture is used; upon reaching a weight limit of 1800 g, a “transitional” mixture is used for feeding
• Today, a caloric, rather than a volumetric calculation of the nutrition of premature babies is used, which is more correct. They begin to feed the baby literally drop by drop, with 5-15 ml of milk or a mixture, gradually increasing the volume
  For babies with very low weight, the daily volume of milk is 60 ml, in the future the volume is increased by 20 ml per kg of body weight daily until the baby begins to receive 200 ml per 1 kg of body weight per day
• Babies born with a weight of more than 2500 kg receive feedings at the rate of 150 ml per kg of body weight per day, the total volume is divided by 8 and given every 3 hours. To control weight gain, the baby is regularly weighed and control feedings are carried out (weight before and after feeding)
• If a breastfeeding for some reason it is impossible, pediatricians recommend special mixtures of Nenatal, Enfalak, Pre-Nan, Pre-Tuttelli, Similak special care to premature babies

It is especially important for premature babies to introduce complementary foods on time.

• Juices (vegetable or fruit) are introduced from 1-3 months, from 3-5 drops, gradually bringing to required volume(month of life multiplied by 10)
• From 2 months give fruit puree, starting from 0.5 tsp
• Hard-boiled egg yolk introduced from 3 months
• From this age, cottage cheese is also introduced (10 g for a month, then add another 10 g, give 20 g for another month, over the next months +5 g, until the volume is 50 g)
• From 4 months, the first complementary food is introduced in the form of porridge boiled in water or vegetable broth, a month later the second complementary food is added - mashed vegetables. Meat puree (10 g) can be introduced from 5 months
• An 8-month-old child can already be offered bread or unsweetened baby cookies, vegetable soups and meat broths are added to the diet. At 8-9 months, 3 complementary foods in the form of a fermented milk product or cow's milk already replace one meal of the baby's main food

Anemia in premature babies, hemoglobin level

Premature babies due to their physiological features susceptible to anemia. This condition develops by the end of the 1st, the beginning of the 2nd month of life. There are 3 degrees of anemia of prematurity with hemoglobin:

1. 100-85 g/l
2. 84-70 g/l
3. indicators below 70 g / l.

Symptomatically, the phenomenon of anemia is expressed in a strong pallor of the skin, when listening - an increase in heart rate (heart rate), a systolic murmur is possible, a decrease in tone and activity, the child stops gaining weight.

The first and second degrees of anemia do not require special treatment, the baby should be fully fed and saturate the body with B vitamins, vitamin E, ascorbic acid, folic acid.

In severe cases, blood transfusions are indicated - the transfusion of small volumes of erythrocyte mass until hemoglobin rises to 90 g / l.

Jaundice in premature babies, bilirubin in the blood

• Such a concept as physiological jaundice newborns for premature babies exists very conditionally. Jaundice manifests itself as a more or less pronounced yellowness of the skin, occurs on the 2nd or 3rd day after birth
• This condition is caused by insufficient functional development of the baby's liver, as a result of which indirect bilirubin (formed during erythrocyte decay) accumulates in the blood
• Indirect bilirubin, which should normally be converted by the liver enzyme glucuron transferase into harmless direct bilirubin, has toxic properties.
• High concentrations of its content in the blood are dangerous for very severe brain damage - the so-called nuclear jaundice.

Jaundice in term-born babies is temporary and harmless; this condition lasts for about a week. In children born prematurely, this condition lasts from 1 month and can last longer than two. The more difficult the general condition of the baby, the longer the jaundice lasts.

Methods for the prevention of nuclear jaundice:

• exposure to fluorescent lights to increase the breakdown of bilirubin
• administration of hemodez and albumin solution intravenously
• therapy with luminal to bind bilirubin for 5-10 days

Colic in premature babies

This unpleasant phenomenon - intestinal colic - faced every mom. Premature babies are especially prone to colic.

Attacks of abdominal pain in them may be more frequent and more intense than in ordinary children. The leading role in such intense suffering of the baby is played by the insufficient development of the enzymatic system of the intestines and the nervous system, due to which gases are formed in too in large numbers. The pressure of gases on the intestinal walls causes severe muscle spasm and pain.

The cause of colic may be improper feeding or intestinal allergies.

How can you help your child:

• dry warm diaper on the tummy
• installation of a gas tube
• belly massage
• bowel cleansing enema
• special carminative teas for newborns (cumin, dill, chamomile, mint)
• Espumizan in drops, Sub-simplex

If these methods have not been effective, the baby must be examined to rule out surgical pathology.

Height and weight of premature babies by months

A baby born prematurely gains weight and height more intensively in the first year of life compared to ordinary peers. The only exception is the first month, during which the mass increases slightly.

By the third month, the weight doubles, by the sixth it triples. Up to 6 months, growth is added by 2.5 - 5.5 cm, 7-8 months - growth adds 2 cm, from 9 to 12 months - 1.5 cm every month.

Normally, such children increase their weight compared to birth weight by 4-6 times, children with a high degree of prematurity - by 6-8 times. The average height of 12-month-old premature babies is 70-77 cm, that is, it increases by 27-38 cm from the moment of birth.

• First month

Swallowing and sucking reflexes are poorly developed. In their absence, the child is fed through a tube. There is practically no mass gain, very low activity. The main task is to protect the baby from the cold and infections.

• Second month

Sucking is still difficult, the baby gets tired easily. Body weight is gradually increasing. The baby can be laid out on the stomach.

• third month

The main thing is sleep and food. The body weight is doubled. He learns to fix his gaze, mimic reactions, a grasping reflex develop. Tries to raise his head.

• fourth month

The baby begins to confidently hold his head, begins to smile, fix his eyes, holds the toy, makes sounds. An increase in muscle tone is characteristic.

• Fifth month

The baby shows interest in the world around him, smiles, sound and visual attention improves. The kid accurately determines which side the auditory stimulus comes from, is able to hold the object in his hand.

• sixth month

The baby's weight triples. The active development of the baby finally expands the possibilities for communicating with him. He recognizes familiar faces well, babbles, babbles. Actively twists legs and arms and crouches slightly, pushing off the surface, if taken under the armpits.

• seventh month

The baby already knows how to roll over on his tummy, begins to crawl, confidently holds toys. Psycho-emotional development is activated. The first teeth may erupt.

• eighth month

Typical physical activity. The baby crawls well, tries to sit, stands on all fours. Shows an active interest in communication. He understands if he is asked to find some object, listens carefully to his mother's tales, nursery rhymes, hums and babbles in response.

• ninth month

He sits confidently, sits down himself, holding on to a support, crawls on all fours. "Communicates", tries to pronounce the first syllables.

• tenth month

Well stands and can step over, holding on to a support. Knows his name, responds to all sounds, pronounces individual syllables well. Learns to play with familiar objects, follows their movement with interest.

• Eleventh month

Can take her first steps without support. Emotional activity is at the level of an ordinary child. Plays with cubes, pyramids. Excellent contact with family.

• twelfth month

Already able to move independently. Actively communicates with others as far as possible, says the first words. Normal by this time physical development a premature baby catches up with its full-term peers. Neuropsychic processes are somewhat behind. In general, by this time the baby is gaining weight 5-7 times its birth weight.

Head circumference of a premature baby

Pediatricians observe the increase in the head circumference of a premature baby with special care. This attention is due to the risks of developing pathologies of the central nervous system. Normally, children add 4-5 cm in head circumference in the first month, during the second - 2-3 cm, the next month - 2.5 cm, up to six months - another 1.5 cm, and after the sixth month - 0.5- 1 cm every month.

Rickets in premature babies

• All diseases in children who were born prematurely proceed in a peculiar way and have difficulties in diagnosing. Therefore, prevention is more effective than cure.
• The special metabolism of premature babies can create conditions for the development of rickets, even with proper feeding and good conditions external environment
• With violations of the correct diet, the risk of developing rickets increases. Visible manifestations of rickets can be detected by 2 months, earlier signs diseases are only visible on x-rays

Signs of the disease:

• deformity of some bones
• the skull is slightly flattened on the sides
• fontanel large
• fragile rib bones
• X-ray showing osteoporosis of skeletal bones

Pediatricians prescribe for the prevention of rickets in premature babies:

• UV from 5-6 weeks
• taking vitamin D (300 thousand units in a course of 2 weeks), with a disease, the dosage is doubled
• fish oil in the same amount, which, with signs of rickets, is replaced with vitamin D
• Ca twice a day for 1 month

In addition to specific prevention, non-specific measures are carried out:

• walks on fresh air,
• bathing with a gradual decrease in temperature from 39 to 37 degrees
• vitamin C
• rosehip extract or juice from the second month of life

Fontanelles in premature babies

In a baby born prematurely, the sutures between the cranial bones and the posterior fontanel are open. Fontanelles - small and large are larger than usual, although large can be small due to displaced bones.

The closure of the fontanels occurs somewhat later than in full-term babies (the small fontanelle in full-term newborns is closed). If there are no complications and the child develops normally, then a large fontanel should be overgrown by 16-24 months.

Hearing in premature babies

Premature babies are very vulnerable and hearing problems are much more common in them than in babies born at term. The immaturity of the nervous system, complicated by additional factors, causes a high risk of hearing loss.

Risk factors:

• infections
• high bilirubin
• fetal hypoxia
• birth trauma
• cerebral hemorrhages
• hypothermia
• prolonged IVL

On the 3rd-5th day of life, a premature baby is necessarily examined by an otolaryngologist and hardware audio screening is performed in order to identify hearing impairments.

Congenital hearing problems account for a total of 3%.

5% of children are at risk of hearing aid problems at 5 years of age. At home, the child must be observed very carefully at corrected 3, 6, 9 months: what is the reaction to loud sounds, sound in general, does the baby distinguish voices, reacts to his name, call, listens to speech.

A child at risk should be observed until his own speech appears.

Skin of a premature baby

• Premature babies have very thin and vulnerable skin. The epidermal layer is poorly developed, which makes the skin weakly protected from microorganisms. After removing the original lubricant, the skin of the baby becomes brightly hyperemic, this redness can last up to 2 weeks. After the skin becomes normal color, it begins to actively peel off.
• Jaundice gives the skin yellowness, and pallor and a bluish tint indicates internal pathology. Babies with a high degree of prematurity may have cyanotic limbs and the nasolabial triangle area
• The body of the baby is covered with soft hairs - lanugo. Subcutaneous fat is not developed, skin elasticity is significantly reduced, it is easy to fold it, this sign is especially pronounced in very premature babies

Excretory skin function is difficult due to the fact that the sweat glands begin to work only by the age of three months, this can contribute to overheating of the child.

Nervous system

• The brain structures of the baby are characterized by immaturity, reflexes are weakly expressed, and reduced muscle tone is observed. The sucking reflex at birth is weakened or not developed, its development is stimulated by special acupressure
• The disturbed mechanism of thermoregulation requires constant maintenance of the optimal temperature for a premature baby. The sense organs are sufficiently developed and function well immediately after birth.
• These children often have seizures. They have a high risk of developing cerebral palsy, the signs of which are visible from birth, and the final diagnosis is made after 12 months
  Due to the high risks of developing pathologies of the central nervous system, premature babies are observed by pediatric neuropathologists, they are prescribed massage courses for the treatment and prevention of diseases

How long should you walk with a premature baby?

• It is necessary to protect a premature baby from sharp temperature fluctuations. Children whose body weight at birth was more than 1.5 kg can be taken out into the fresh air from the age of two weeks, but only in summer
• In the off-season, at an outside temperature of 10 degrees Celsius, you can go for a walk with your baby only from a month, preferably from a month and a half (if the weight is more than 2.5 kg). If the temperature is lower, then you can start walking from the age of two months, when the weight is 2.8 - 3 kg
• The walk time is initially 10-15 minutes, adding 5-10 minutes daily, bringing the total time spent outdoors to 1.5 hours

Bathing a premature baby

If the body weight of the child at birth is less than 1.5 kg, then bathing is not carried out in the first 3 weeks of home stay. Children with a large weight can begin to bathe in a week. For bathing, the water must be boiled until the baby reaches 3 months of age. The temperature regime of water is 38 degrees, air in the room is 25.

Caring for a premature baby at home

• After returning home with a newborn, the mother should provide the child with the most comfortable temperature regime (23-25 ​​degrees). Housing is aired every 3-3.5 hours. To maintain the required level of humidity in the room, wet cleaning is carried out regularly (3-4 times a day)
• If the baby needs additional heating, use heating pads with 60 degrees of water, which are wrapped in diapers and placed in the legs (under the blanket) and on the sides (on the blanket) at a distance of 10 cm. The heat source must be constantly
• The baby's face should be left open. After a month, the child's own heat exchange is established and the need for artificial heating disappears. The baby's temperature is measured regularly
• A newborn weighing up to 2 kg needs a two-layer set of things and is additionally wrapped in a flannelette blanket, a woolen envelope, covered with flannel on top. Tight crumbs are not swaddled so as not to restrict breathing. Clothing for him must be absolutely clean and ironed on both sides.

Massage for premature babies

Premature babies are shown massage at home.

What will be the massage depends on the body weight at birth. You can start the first massage sessions no earlier than one month. If the baby was born with a weight of up to 2 kg, then it can only be careful stroking, if the weight during childbirth was higher, then light patting, tapping, kneading can be used. Start with 5 minutes.

Conducting rules:

• carried out no earlier than an hour after a meal and no later than 30 minutes before a meal
• the child should not be sleepy
• total duration - about 10 minutes
• the room should be warm and well ventilated
• if the child responds well, then sessions can be carried out 2-3 times a day
• start with light strokes, then add light rubbing and kneading, vibration
• first they massage the head, fingers, hands, feet, then the arms and legs and the body itself
• movements should be rhythmic and slow
• patting and kneading alternate with stroking

Special therapeutic massage is carried out as prescribed by a pediatrician or neuropathologist and is carried out by a specialist.

Why does a premature baby grunt?

• A premature baby is born weak and therefore often cannot even “fully” cry when something bothers him, so he may squeak or grunt. The baby can grunt in a dream and during wakefulness. The baby can make such unusual sounds if he is worried about his tummy (constipation), he is uncomfortable or cold, he is hungry
• At an older age, colic may disturb him and the child groans and strains at the same time. After carrying out all the activities aimed at alleviating the condition of the baby, groaning stops
• In a dream, a baby may grunt for the same reasons (discomfort or pain) or due to neurological disorders, so this phenomenon must be told to the pediatrician and neuropathologist

Why does a premature baby lose weight?

For babies born prematurely, pediatricians divide the neonatal period into three stages, which are different in course.

The first stage is characterized by weight loss. Ordinary babies also physiologically lose weight after birth, but premature babies lose much more weight in percentage terms - from 10 to 15%, while full-term babies lose 5-6%.

This period lasts the first week after birth and does not depend on the quality of feeding. In the subsequent stages of the newborn, a systematic weight gain occurs.

The temperature of a premature baby

• The thermoregulatory system in a premature baby is extremely poorly developed, so his body temperature directly depends on the ambient temperature.
• Increased heat transfer and reduced heat production easily leads to rapid hypothermia, especially in very premature babies. Hypothermia can lead to rapid development pneumonia
• It is just as easy for a baby to overheat as it is to overcool. The skin vessels do not know how to respond correctly to thermal stimuli, the sweat glands are underdeveloped, the thermoregulation center is imperfect - these factors lead to the fact that the first 4-5 months of a premature baby is easy to overheat to very high performance- 39.5-40 degrees
• This condition is dangerous by disorders of the central nervous system, convulsive or hemorrhagic syndromes.
• It is important to know that premature babies may not give rise in temperature in response to an infection, even the most severe pathologies - pneumonia, peritonitis, osteomyelitis may show a slight subfebrile increase of 37.1 - 37.3 degrees
• Such features can lead to difficulties in making a diagnosis, so it is extremely important to create an individual optimal microclimate for the baby.

How much should a premature baby sleep?

Babies born prematurely are weak and immature and can initially sleep up to 20-22 hours a day. In sleep, the child grows, the immature nervous system catches up.

The periods of wakefulness in the crumbs are short, he is tired and quickly falls asleep during feeding. As you gain weight and recuperate, your periods of wakefulness become longer.

Vaccines for premature babies

Vaccinations for premature babies have some restrictions on the degree of prematurity and the weight of the newborn. In general, premature babies are vaccinated according to the schedule approved by the Ministry of Health. If the baby has certain health problems and he has medical exemptions according to indications, the immunologist draws up an individual vaccination schedule for the baby.

• Tuberculosis (BCG) vaccination for premature babies weighing less than 2000 g is given just before discharge, and not immediately after birth
• All premature babies are vaccinated against hepatitis in the first 12 hours of life. In the future, the child is vaccinated against hepatitis three times without taking into account the vaccination made in the maternity hospital.
• The first DTP vaccination (against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus) plus against Haemophilus influenzae and polio is done on time, at 3 months, then according to the schedule

Video: How do premature babies develop?

Due to various circumstances, premature babies are born. The development of such crumbs occurs differently compared to full-term children. With the correct observance of all conditions by twelve months, such crumbs correspond in development to babies born on time.

In contact with

External characteristics of premature babies

How do premature babies grow?

Before embarking on the study of the characteristics of infants born before the due date, their characteristic features should be studied.

In children of this group clearly stands out:

• manifestation of lethargy and weakness;
• tiny stature;
• small values ​​of mass;
• lack of skin on fontanelles;
• pronounced redness of the body;
• a thin layer of the auricles;
• displacement of a large fontanel;
• the presence of "lanugs" - soft hair bundles;
• unformed external genital organs;
• disproportionately big head;
• huge belly with a low location of the navel;
• transparent thin nail plates;
• short arms, legs and neck.

The described signs indicate the incomplete development of the baby and the need to create comfortable conditions for its further development. Most often, the weight of a premature baby does not exceed two kilograms.

Important! Prematurity of a peanut is not a pathology, but only a consequence of early labor activity.

In such a situation, parents should concentrate all their efforts on the timely development of the baby.

Development Features

How do premature babies develop? Babies are considered premature if they are born after twenty-four weeks of pregnancy. There are some nuances in the development of children of this group, which are manifested in the following:

1. A special type of functioning of the nervous system. The functioning of the nervous apparatus differs from the work of the nervous system of ordinary newborns. Therefore, babies who were born ahead of schedule are demanding of attention, especially from the mother. In the house, you should create maximum comfort, and surround the baby with care and affection.
2. Late development of behavioral skills. Children who were born before the allotted time master behavioral skills later than their peers. For example, when the baby appeared at thirty-two weeks of pregnancy, the duration of his lagging behind his peers was at least three months.
3. The use of jugs. If the weight of the baby that was born does not exceed one and a half kilograms, then for its further development it is required use of incubators. Komarovsky believes that only the conditions of incubators make it possible to grow a baby to a healthy weight, since they are as close as possible to intrauterine. An increase in body weight up to two kilograms causes the crumbs to move to the crib, with special heating.

The use of thermoregulatory conditions for premature babies is very significant, as it directly affects the further development of the baby.

Premature babies should be kept in a room where the thermal regime does not fall below twenty degrees Celsius, and the humidity index is below fifty percent.

Features of the development of premature babies studied in detail on numerous examples.

Mothers of such crumbs should familiarize themselves with special literature and monitor the development of their baby.

Deviation or a long delay in the development of a premature baby is a signal of an immediate visits to a pediatrician. This will avoid the appearance of undesirable consequences, and sometimes saves the life of the baby.

How they develop over the months

Premature babies develop somewhat differently after birth than their peers. At first, their body tries to gain the required weight and “finish” the organs. The development of a premature baby by months to a year is clearly seen in the following table.

The table illustrates the development by months in the form of a monthly increase in body weight. The data given are averages and may vary in individual cases.

Depending on the weight of the newborn at early birth, the following are distinguished: categories of prematurity:

1. Body weight ranges from two thousand grams to two and a half thousand grams. The first category includes babies born at the stage from the thirty-sixth to the thirty-seventh week of pregnancy. By the age of twelve months, the mass of such children increases at least four times.
2. Weight from one and a half thousand grams to two thousand grams. This category of crumbs includes newborns born from thirty-two to thirty-five weeks of gestation. In a year, the weight of the described crumbs increases at least five times.
3. The mass of babies is from a thousand grams to one and a half thousand grams. "Deeply premature babies" - children of this category. They are born before thirty weeks of pregnancy. By twelve months, their body weight increases at least six times compared to the original.
4. Children weighing less than a thousand grams. Infants born at six months of age have extreme body weight. With proper care, by the year they are eight times larger in weight.

Each premature baby- there is a result of the incorrect behavior of a pregnant woman or the presence of pathologies in her. Therefore, you should not complain about others, but pull yourself together and start proper care for the newborn, if this could not be done while he was in the womb.

Expecting a baby is a joyful and exciting period when young parents are in anticipation of new pleasant troubles and experiences. Unfortunately, sometimes these happy moments can be overshadowed by the premature birth of a baby. In such a situation, parents will have to answer questions that are completely unexpected for themselves: how the baby will develop, what to do to help him cope with the problems that have arisen as much as possible, how to quickly gain weight for a premature baby.

Causes of premature birth

No pregnant woman thinks that her baby may be born prematurely. But circumstances do not always depend only on desires and plans. expectant mother.

The reasons early appearance baby:

• heavy physical activity in a pregnant woman;
• poor quality of food consumed;
• delayed medical care;
• frequent abortions preceding childbirth;
• a woman in labor under 18 or over 30 years old if the child is the first;
• the age of the father of the baby is more than 50 years;
• the presence of concomitant diseases in a pregnant woman;
• severe pregnancy;
• in cases of a threat to the life of a child in the womb, the attending physician may decide to conduct an emergency caesarean section(impaired fetal-placental circulation, fetal hypoxia, intrauterine growth retardation).

According to WHO, a prematurely born baby is considered to be born at 22-37 weeks of gestation, weighing 500 g - 2.5 kg and 25-40 cm long.

Stages of prematurity

The condition of newborns and how premature babies gain weight depends on the period spent in the womb. How longer for a woman managed to bear the baby, the more it internal organs and the systems will be ready for external life.

Depending on the date of birth and the size of the baby, there are 4 degrees of prematurity.

1. A baby with the 1st degree of prematurity is born at a gestational age of 35-37 weeks and has a weight of 2-2.5 kg. For the most part, such children are no different from full-term ones; special conditions and nursing in a medical institution are required only in case of congenital diseases or birth injuries.
2. At 32-34 weeks, babies with the 2nd degree of prematurity are born. Their weight is 1.5-2 kg, and for successful adaptation to new living conditions, timely qualified assistance is required and proper care. It is important for parents to know how to gain weight faster for a premature baby in order to avoid health problems.
3. If a woman gives birth at the 29-31st week, the neonatologist diagnoses the 3rd degree of prematurity in the newborn. According to statistics, the survival rate in children weighing 1-1.5 kg is quite high, but in the future they will need long-term treatment and recovery. Many of these babies suffer from congenital malformations and diseases.
4. For up to 29 weeks, extremely premature (4th degree) babies are born. Absolutely unadapted to life outside the womb, such babies often die (up to 90% of those born at the 20-26th week, up to 70% at a later date). Extremely premature babies are also susceptible to serious diseases, genetic abnormalities and pathologies.

At whatever time the child is born, the provision of timely medical care during preparation for childbirth, in their process and after the appearance of the baby in the recovery period, it significantly increases his chances for a healthy future.

Features of a prematurely born child

All prematurely born children have certain features of physical and psychological development, expressed to varying degrees, depending on the period of prematurity.

Distinctive features premature newborn:

1. Appearance. The skin of a baby born prematurely is red, thin and wrinkled. Often covered with down or lanugo. Nail plates newborn soft, often do not reach the edge of the finger. The arms and legs are short compared to the limbs of term infants, and the head appears disproportionately large compared to the rest of the body.
2. Breathing problems. The breathing of an immature baby is superficial, rapid. Sleep apnea occurs - a sudden cessation of respiratory activity.
3. Underdevelopment of the cardiovascular system. The human heart is arranged in such a way that before birth, there are holes in it due to the peculiarity of intrauterine work - the oval window and the arterial duct. By the end of a full-term pregnancy, these holes close - the heart is ready for full-fledged work after birth. If the baby is born earlier, this process does not have time to complete. Normally, by 6 months, the problem is eliminated naturally. If the foramen ovale and ductus arteriosus remain open, surgery may be required.
4. Due to the insufficient secretion of saliva and gastric juice, a prematurely born baby often has digestive problems. Difficulties with digestion of food are one of the reasons why a premature baby does not gain weight.
5. Late acquisition of skills and abilities. While a full-term baby at 1-2 months old was learning to hold his head, roll over, and respond to toys, an early-born baby continued its development, which did not end in the womb, and could not yet learn something new. Therefore, only a neurologist after a thorough examination can talk about developmental delay. Still, premature babies who are considered healthy simply develop at their own individual pace.
6. How much weight does a premature baby gain. Healthy prematurely born children catch up with their peers in weight and height by a maximum of a year.

Parents of premature babies should be patient and do everything possible for their maximum recovery and development.

Reflexes of a premature baby

Another difference between prematurely born children and those who appeared on time are the instincts inherent in newborns in the first month of life.

The difference between the reflexes of a premature baby.

• Swallowing - a reflex necessary for the full feeding of the baby, appears at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy, however, in extremely premature babies it is often untenable.
• Sucking - is also very important so that the baby is fully fed and there is no problem how to gain weight faster for a premature baby. In deeply immature children may be absent.
• Search - a full-term baby, when bringing a finger to his mouth, turns his head in search of food. In a premature baby, this reflex is absent or very weakly expressed.
• Grasping - a child born at term, firmly grasps the finger that touched his palm. In a premature baby, this reflex may be weakened or absent altogether.

There are other reflexes that pediatricians and neuropathologists pay attention to when examining a premature newborn. Among them are the Moro reflex, automatic walking, Babinsky, Robinson, Bauer.

Breastfeeding premature babies

The ideal food for a premature baby, like for any other, is mother's milk. That is why it is so important to try to save milk by expressing it, if for some reason breast-feeding impossible in the first weeks of a child's life.

To the question of whether premature babies gain weight quickly, it is mothers who breastfeed their children who can answer positively. This is due to the fact that the composition of the milk of a mother who gave birth on time, and a woman in labor who did not carry the baby, differs in its composition - in the milk of a woman who has become a mother prematurely, an increased protein content, which is necessary for the normal development of the crumbs.

Specialty Blends

If there is no opportunity to breastfeed the baby, when resolving the problem, how to gain weight faster for a premature baby, special mixtures are used for prematurely born and underweight babies.

The difference between mixtures for premature babies:

• protein saturation;
• increased calorie content;
• high content of trace elements and nutrients.

Such mixtures can be found in liquid and powder form for children up to 2 kg and up to 1 year of age.

Features of feeding a premature baby

Since a premature baby, due to physiological characteristics, cannot take and assimilate food on its own in full, there are several ways to feed a premature baby.

How to feed a premature baby:

• by injecting glucose solution intravenously;
• the introduction of mother's milk or formula through a tube, starting with a few drops and gradually increasing the portion;
• from a bottle through a nipple - as a rule, this method is used for babies who have a sucking reflex, but the child is not strong enough to suck milk from the breast;
• breast-feeding.

If the question is how to gain weight faster for a premature baby, breastfeeding or careful selection is recommended. adapted mixture.

Average Weight Gain Standards

All parents whose children are being cared for in hospitals are concerned about how much weight a premature baby must gain in order to be discharged home. As a rule, an extract is possible when the mark of 2 kg is reached.

Approximate rate of weight gain (in grams per month) for children with varying degrees of prematurity

These data can be guided by when answering the question of how quickly premature babies gain weight, but it must be remembered that each baby is individual and only a pediatrician can determine the norm of his weight.

Calculation of formula or milk volume

It can be difficult for young parents to understand how premature babies should gain weight and how much to eat for this.

Begin to feed the children according to the scheme:

• 1st degree of prematurity - applied to the chest, fed like full-term babies;
• 2nd and 3rd degree - the first feeding - 2-5 ml of milk or a mixture, each time increasing the portion by 3-5 ml, adjusted to the age norm;
• 4th degree - start with 2-3 ml, increasing the dose each time by the same volume.

Children are fed every 2.5-3 hours, making up for the lack of calories with intravenous droppers.

Care rules

In order for a premature baby to catch up with their peers as quickly as possible and not have health problems in the future, he needs special care.

What is important for a premature baby:

• compliance with the temperature regime - in the room, the mark on the thermometer should fluctuate between 22-25 ° C, special incubators are used in the hospital;
• maintaining the level of humidity;
• for bathing the first 3 months is recommended to use boiled water not lower than +38 °С;
• the first time walks are allowed at a temperature not lower than +10 °C.

How quickly premature babies gain weight depends on their health and care in the hospital and at home. For full development, babies must receive proper nutrition, enough oxygen, get acquainted with water procedures. In all matters, it is important to consult a pediatrician.