How premature babies should gain weight. A baby was born premature: how should the baby develop? Which baby is considered premature?

26.04.2020

About premature babies and their physical characteristics. Parents are primarily interested in the growth and development of the baby, as well as the details of monitoring and caring for him.

How does he develop physically?

Due to the fact that the baby was in a hurry to be born, his height and weight will be gained differently, different from full-term babies. Usually, a premature baby grows faster than a full-term baby, as if catching up with what he did not have time to survive in utero. However, if this is a very premature baby, the degree of weight gain will be special; the weight will not increase much due to the fact that weight loss at birth will be much more pronounced than under normal conditions.

At birth, a premature baby loses about 15% of his body weight; he then needs to restore it to its original value and gain more weight. In addition, a very premature baby may lack sucking and swallowing reflexes and does not absorb food well. He is usually fed through a drip in the first days - this is called parenteral nutrition, then they gradually switch to feeding through a gastric tube, and as soon as he begins to digest food, they switch completely to tube feeding, and then breast or artificial nutrition.

The most difficult is the first month and the transition from intravenous to regular nutrition, the increase can then be only 200-300 g, from the second and third month the child’s weight doubles, by six months the baby triples the weight, and at one year from birth the baby weighs 4-10 times more than the original.

Monthly weight gain in premature babies:

first month - from 180 to 300 g,
in the second - from 400 to 800 g,
in the third - 600-800 g,
fourth - 600-800 g,
fifth - 550-700 g,
sixth - 700-750 g,
seventh - 500-700 g,
eighth - 500-600 g,
ninth 500-550 g,
tenth - 450-500 g,
eleventh - 300-400 g,
per year total increase from 5900 to 7300 g.

However, there is still no need to compare a premature baby with a full-term baby; he will lag behind the usual standards in weight and height: the stronger the prematurity, the more pronounced the developmental delay. Take into account the general trends in weight gain and height of your baby - there is no need to focus on average standards. Under any circumstances, even with extreme prematurity, the baby will catch up with his peers at the age of three to six years: the younger he was at birth, the more time it will take to catch up with full-term peers. Global studies reliably show: at 10-18 years of age there are no differences between full-term and premature children either in physical or intellectual development.

Growth trends are also natural. The length of a child’s body depends on his weight at birth and on the weight gain over the months. In the first months of life, growth occurs at the most rapid pace - 2-6 cm per month; over the course of a year, the baby can grow by 30-40 cm. In a year, his height can be approximately 70-80 cm; in the second year, growth will not be as active - according to 1-2 cm per month.

The circumference of the head and chest grows faster than that of full-term infants, and in the first six months they increase by 2 cm per month, reaching an increase of 12 cm in six months. From the second half of the year, the increase occurs according to the laws of full-term infants. The timing of teething will also be different - usually the teeth are delayed for as long as the baby does not stay in the stomach. So, with prematurity at two to three weeks, the dates will shift by a month, and with prematurity of less than 30 weeks, the first teeth will be closer to a year.

To the parents of such a baby

It is important to understand that the birth of a premature baby is not your fault; circumstances are sometimes unpredictable. It’s hard to live with a feeling of guilt, it violates the objectivity of perception of reality, disrupts your peace - and this is completely unnecessary for your baby. He needs a calm and collected mom and dad. If he feels normal, you will be allowed to care for the baby on your own, under the supervision of doctors. This is important for children - they respond best to their mother’s and father’s hands.

The hardest time will be the first couple of weeks - while the baby is weak and requires attention, then everything will be easier, he will gain weight and get stronger. Try to control yourself so that you can give your baby the best food available - your milk. You will need the support and help of your loved ones, because you still have a home and family, but you need to disconnect from all your worries and think about the baby.

Nursing a premature baby

In order for nursing a baby to be effective and for the child to grow and develop normally, it is necessary to create the necessary treatment regimen and complete care for him. Typically, children with extreme prematurity are cared for in perinatal centers or prematurity units in city hospitals and maternity hospitals. Wherever this happens, a number of conditions are necessary to help maintain the baby’s stable condition. A child born at term has mechanisms that help him adapt. In premature infants, these mechanisms are still undeveloped and immature.

In a hospital, babies are usually separated from their mother, they are exposed to sounds, light, air, pain impulses from procedures, etc., which can disrupt the internal balance of the body - the skin is damaged, fluid exchange and thermoregulation are disrupted, and infectious lesions occur. Inside the incubator, children lie almost motionless and cannot signal discomfort, so today, premature wards try to involve mothers and fathers in nursing children as early as possible.

One of the effective ways to care for even very premature babies is. Parents carry the baby on their naked body, pressing him tightly to themselves, thereby creating conditions close to those in the womb. This prevents children from losing precious heat, which they do not yet know how to produce, and maintaining a stable body temperature. When babies are carried close to their body, their breathing and blood circulation improve, and they feel calmer. This is also important for the mother, since tactile contact and the smell of the baby stimulate the release of love hormones in her brain, which give rise to milk flow and stable lactation.

Participation in nursing the baby gives the mother confidence in her abilities and the desire to fight for the health of the baby, and the child in such conditions gains weight more steadily and quickly, grows and develops. Mom constantly monitors his well-being and does not miss the slightest changes; she feeds him on her own or with the help of nurses. Staying close to your baby helps support lactation so that as your baby grows and develops, you can begin to put him to the breast.

Features of the respiratory system

“How do they breathe? Have you heard that they have problems with their lungs and are on a machine?” — expectant parents often ask when there is a threat of premature birth. Yes, if the baby is born prematurely, the pulmonary system is not yet ready to breathe on its own. The most important thing that is dangerous about giving birth to a baby early is the lack of surfactant in the lungs, which actively begins to form in the third trimester of pregnancy. Why is it needed and why are we so worried about it?

The fact is that when a child takes his first breath, his lungs expand and the alveoli fill with air. On the inner surface of each alveoli (an air sac braided on the outside with a network of vessels for gas exchange), there is a lubricant similar to fat - this is a surfactant. Its task is to prevent these same alveoli from sticking together during exhalation. If this happens, they will no longer be able to come unglued in the future, and the child’s lungs will gradually shut down. Then the baby will have to be transferred to artificial ventilation, in other words, the machine will breathe for him until his surfactant matures. This condition is also dangerous because weak lungs with poor ventilation give free rein to microbes - pneumonia and bronchitis may develop, and this will further hamper the development of the baby.

Parents may be concerned that the baby is breathing frequently, and his ribs and tummy are involved in breathing - but for a premature baby this is normal, he has a very intense metabolism and requires an active exchange of gases. Among other things, the child has narrow nasal passages, they quickly swell, which makes normal gas exchange difficult. Therefore, the air should always be cool and moist to prevent drying out and swelling of the mucous membrane.

The baby has a wide chest, the ribs are almost perpendicular to the sternum, the intercostal spaces are wide - this increases the tidal volume of the chest. Parents are often frightened by the intermittent breathing of their babies. They may have periods of so-called apnea - lack of breathing or short-term stops. This occurs due to the immaturity of the respiratory center and nervous system. When, after 10-20 seconds, the oxygen level in the blood decreases, a powerful signal is received, and the baby begins to breathe again, even somewhat more often. This will go away over time - but if the breath holds are frequent and long, more than 10-20 seconds, this requires talking to a doctor.

23.07.2012

Paretskaya Alena
pediatrician, member of the Association of Consultants
on breastfeeding, member of the IACMAH association,
early childhood nutrition specialist,
Project Manager "Children's Doctor"

Premature babies are those born before, starting from the date of the last menstruation, and having a body weight below 2500 grams. There are 4 degrees of prematurity depending on the gestational age and weight of the child at birth:

I degree– premature babies born at 35-37 weeks with a birth weight of 2000-2500 grams;

II degree– premature babies born at 32-34 weeks weighing 1500-2000 grams;

III degree– very premature babies born at 29-31 weeks weighing 1000-1500 grams;

IV degree– extremely premature babies born before 29 weeks weighing less than 1000 grams.

Of course, for such children, weight gain is one of the determining factors in the child’s physical development and health. Good weight gain can be ensured only with well-established, nutritious nutrition for the child, which satisfies his energy expenditure, when the baby receives all the nutrients, microelements, and protective complexes he needs. Difficulties with feeding can arise due to the immaturity of the child’s gastrointestinal tract, low enzymatic activity, the stomach’s failure to accept food, and the absence of a swallowing and sucking reflex. Depending on the problem, doctors feed the child through a tube or use parenteral nutrition, when nutritional solutions are administered intravenously to the child.

The best thing is mother's breast milk. Scientists have proven that milk adapts to the needs of the child, therefore the milk of a woman who gave birth prematurely has its own unique composition, adapted to the premature baby. While the baby cannot suckle, he is fed with expressed milk, after the baby learns to suck and swallow (usually, when he gains 1.6 kg, these reflexes appear), he is gradually transferred first to partial and then to full breastfeeding. If it is impossible to breastfeed, the baby is transferred to donor milk or a special adapted formula for premature babies. Indicators of weight gain determine the quality and adequacy of nutrition, the need to introduce or eliminate supplementary feeding.

For premature babies, doctors divide them into 3 main stages, which differ in the child’s nutritional needs and weight gain.

At the 1st stage, the newborn does not gain, but loses weight. This is a physiological feature of all children, but if a full-term baby usually loses 5-6% of weight, then a premature baby weighing more than 1.5 kg loses 10%, and a very premature baby weighing up to 1.5 kg loses 15%. This period usually lasts the first 7 days from birth. Despite the fact that during this period the amount of food is minimal, it should provide the baby’s body with all the necessary nutrients.

At the 2nd stage, constant weight gain is achieved, at least at the level of the prenatal period. When the child’s condition has stabilized, he can independently suckle a breast or bottle, and has reached a weight of 2.5 kg, the mother and child are discharged from the department for premature babies. The weight gain per week should be 125-200 grams, depending on the baby’s weight at birth. The increase is calculated as follows: + 15 g/kg daily.

At the 3rd stage, the child’s weight normalizes, lasting up to a year(longer for very premature babies). The task of parents during this period is to provide the child with adequate nutrition with a sufficient amount of calories and all the nutrients that are needed for the child’s growth, because a premature baby needs to develop more intensively in order to catch up with his peers. Usually, if a baby is born 1 month ahead of schedule, then he catches up with his peers in development by 1 year, 2 months ahead of schedule - by 2 years, and 3 months ahead of schedule - by 3 years, respectively.

Below is a table of weight gain for premature babies depending on age and degree of prematurity.

The table gives an approximate result for children who are at full age; the numbers may differ, both up and down. Every month the child should be examined by a pediatrician who will assess the child’s physical development and health. Nutrition adjustments, calculation of supplementary feeding rates, recommendations for the introduction of complementary foods, vitamin supplements should be carried out only by a doctor.

Calculate the approximate weight gain of a premature baby up to one year online

Please indicate the baby's weight at birth (g)

Please indicate the child's height at birth (cm)

Premature baby

Age, months	Weight gain	Your baby's weight
1	600
2	800
3	800
4	750
5	700
6	650
7	600
8	550
9	500
10	450
11	400
12	350

Babies with a height of less than 45 cm and a weight of less than 2500 g, born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, are considered premature. Their respiratory, cardiovascular and thermoregulatory systems are still immature, so these babies require medical supervision and special care. And first of all, mothers think about how to gain weight for a premature baby.

How do premature babies gain weight?

Since premature babies are low birth weight, the main indicator of their development and health status is weight gain. As a rule, premature babies increase their weight faster than full-term babies.

How to gain weight for a premature baby? He needs to be provided with adequate nutrition - and best of all, if it is breast milk

This factor is also influenced by the degree of prematurity:

1 – children are born at 35-37 weeks weighing from 2000 to 2500g;
2 – children are born at 32-35 weeks, weighing from 1500 to 2000g;
3 – children are born at 29-31 weeks, weighing from 1000 to 1500g;
4 – children are born before 29 weeks weighing less than 1000g.

For example, a full-term baby doubles its body weight by 4-5 months, and a premature baby, weighing from 2000 to 2500 g at birth, by 3-3.5 months.

In the first month of life, babies with 1st degree of prematurity gain 300g in weight, with 2nd and 3rd degrees - 190g, and babies with 4th degree of prematurity - 180g. In the second month, babies from group 1 add 800g, children from group 2 - 700g, from group 3 - 650g, from group 4 - 400g. Starting from the third month of life, premature babies begin to gain weight from 650 to 800 g.

But these are just approximate figures; weight gain is also affected by:

quality and nutritional value;
frequency and duration of feedings;
family situation;
hereditary factor;
mother's nutrition.

Only a specialist can determine whether a premature baby is gaining weight well or poorly. But if the mother thinks that the baby is not eating well, she observes frequent whims of the baby, then she urgently needs to consult a pediatrician.

How can a premature baby gain weight quickly?

The mother’s task is to provide the premature baby with adequate nutrition, including a sufficient amount of calories and essential nutrients. After all, it is important for such a baby to develop intensively in order to catch up with his peers. To do this you need:

If possible, feed the baby only breast milk, which contains a lot of amino acids, protein, oligosaccharides, and antibodies. Unlike breast milk from a woman who has given birth at term, milk for a premature baby contains less lactose.
When feeding a baby through a tube in case of a poorly formed sucking reflex, it is important for a woman to provide the baby with breast milk, constantly expressing it. To do this, you need to purchase a breast pump, since it is very difficult to manually express milk in the amount required for the baby.
Attach to the breast at the baby's request. It is important to apply it correctly.
Be sure to feed your baby at night.
Ensure constant physical contact between the baby and mother.

If a baby is born premature, some organs are not fully developed. In addition, babies are born with low weight and a weakened immune and nervous system. Therefore, children born ahead of schedule require special care and attention from both doctors and parents.

Degrees of prematurity of newborns

Based on the duration of the gestational period (the number of weeks of intrauterine development after which the baby was born) and its weight at birth, 4 degrees of prematurity are distinguished:

The degree of prematurity of a child, determined by weight and age in weeks, is not always accurate, since sometimes the exact time of pregnancy cannot be determined.

A premature baby has a number of characteristic signs:

Quiet, weakened crying, lethargy and drowsiness.
Underdeveloped subcutaneous fat layer.
Soft ears that fit tightly to the head.
Dry skin with wrinkles and a reddish tint.
Openness of the lateral and small fontanelles.
Underdevelopment of the genital organs.
The nails do not completely cover the phalanges of the fingers.
Inconsistent frequency of inhalation and exhalation.
Decreased physiological reflexes, including swallowing and sucking.
A thick umbilical cord that falls off no earlier than after 8 days and heals more slowly than in full-term babies.

Physiological and physical development. What to pay attention to

After birth, any child loses weight. This is especially noticeable in babies born prematurely; they lose weight by almost 15%. At the same time, the body's thermoregulation decreases. Therefore, premature babies are placed in special incubators - incubators, where an optimal environment for nursing the child is created. In a normally developing baby, the original body weight should be restored no later than the end of the second week of life.

The physiology of a premature baby has a number of differences from the development of a baby born at term, so when caring for a baby - a rush baby, you should pay attention to the work of all systems of the tiny body.

Breath	A premature baby will breathe more frequently but less deeply. The less the baby weighs, the more often he breathes. In addition, prolonged inhalations and exhalations are observed, and in very premature babies - convulsive sighs. This breathing is due to the underdevelopment of the baby’s central nervous system.
Heart function, heart rate	In the first time after birth, the child experiences an increased heart rate - from 140 to 160 beats per minute, and the pressure, on the contrary, has very low values (75/20 mm Hg), gradually increasing to 85/40 mm Hg. Art. A premature baby may have abnormalities in the development of the heart that reduce the function of the cardiovascular system , thereby causing a deviation of cardiac parameters from the norm.
Digestive system	Premature babies experience decreased salivation, and their gastric juice volume is 3 times less than that of children born at term. When the gastrointestinal tract begins to become colonized with microorganisms after birth, pathogenic microbes can enter it. With a normal amount of gastric juice and stable functioning of the pancreas, the body of a full-term baby can easily cope with the problem, but in children who hastened to be born, a phenomenon called dysbiosis may appear (incorrect ratio of microorganisms). Due to the underdevelopment of the nervous system, the motor system of the gastrointestinal tract does not function properly . There is a slowdown in the movement of food into the stomach and its further elimination.
Skeletal system	Although even in very premature babies the skeletal system is already formed, its mineralization is not yet complete. Therefore, due to a lack of vitamin D, as well as phosphorus and calcium, premature babies are more likely to develop rickets , and the disease can progress rapidly. In children born prematurely, underdevelopment of the hip joint (dysplasia) is possible, which subsequently leads to dislocations and deprivation of the ability to move freely. Therefore, early diagnosis of pathology and timely treatment are important. .
Nervous system	A baby born prematurely has a weakened nervous system. Therefore, she is not yet able to properly manage the functioning of all parts of the body. Premature babies later begin to hold their heads, roll over on their own, and grasp toys . Starting from 5-6 months, the baby begins to catch up with its peers and develop normally.

Since there are no cures for prematurity, the most important thing for a child who is in a hurry to be born prematurely is to catch up with his peers in weight.

With the exception of the first month after birth, premature babies show a higher rate of growth. By three months they double, and by five months they triple their original weight. Only very premature babies lag behind in this regard.

Norms for weight gain in a premature baby

To monitor the development of a premature baby, you first need to monitor how he gains weight.

Approximate weight gain data is presented in the table:

Age, months	Starting weight 800 – 1000 gr.	Starting weight 1000 – 1500 gr.	Starting weight 1500 – 2000 gr.	Starting weight 2000 – 2500 gr.
1	180	190	190	*300*
2	400	650	750	800
3	650	650	750	800
4	600	650	800	900
5	550	700	800	800
6	750	800	700	700
7	500	950	600	700
8	500	600	700	700
9	500	550	450	700
10	450	500	400	400
11	500	300	500	400
12	450	350	400	350

Features of caring for a premature baby

Children born prematurely are discharged from perinatal centers no earlier than they reach a weight of 2 kg.

For the first time after discharge, it is advisable for the baby to be close to his mother. For this, the so-called “kangaroo” method is used.

The baby is undressed and placed on the mother’s stomach or chest, covered with a warm diaper and securely pulled to the mother’s body. Being next to her, the baby feels her heartbeat and breathing. He finds himself in familiar conditions, similar to being in the womb. Mother's warmth saves the baby's energy, which he would waste to keep warm while in the crib.

Closeness with the mother not only warms the baby and reduces the risk of contracting any infection, but also has a beneficial effect on overall development. The baby’s heart works better, sleep improves, and breathing evens out.

In addition, there are several important points for caring for a premature baby after discharge from the hospital:

Features of feeding	Since the baby's muscles are not yet sufficiently developed, it can be difficult for him to hold the nipple in his mouth. To make it more convenient for the baby to grab it, use the “armpit” feeding position. If the child swallows air, coughs and chokes, use a semi-lying position for feeding, using pillows for comfort. . In this position, the pressure of milk from the breast decreases, and the baby can regulate the flow himself.
Climate in the children's room	The temperature in the nursery should be within 22-25 degrees, and the air humidity should be normal. There should not be the slightest draft in the room. The child should be dressed in warm underwear and covered with a blanket. At the same time, you need to constantly monitor the baby’s body temperature, preventing it from hypothermia or overheating. . The normal temperature is considered to be from 36.5 to 37 o C. If the baby’s body still does not retain heat well, you need to place a warm heating pad with a water temperature of 65 o on its legs, wrapping it in a diaper. The heating pads need to be changed every 1.5-2 hours. The air in the room should be fresh, so the room is regularly ventilated by taking the child to another room .
Water procedures	who weighed less than 1.8 kg at birth are recommended no earlier than 2-3 weeks after discharge. If the initial weight is more than 1.8 kg, you can start water procedures a week after discharge. The temperature of the water in the bath is 38 o, and for the first 3 months it should be boiled. The temperature in the bathroom should be at least 25 degrees.
Baby's nutrition and sleep	Babies born prematurely are fed 7 times a day up to 3 months , then up to six months they switch to six meals a day. Up to 3 months, children are put to sleep at least 4 times during the day , after which it will be enough for them to sleep 3 times a day.
Massage	Before you start, you should consult with your premature baby’s doctor. For a baby whose initial weight was less than 1.5 kilograms, massage is allowed only from 6 months . Babies born weighing more than 2 kg can begin procedures at the age of 3 months. Since the skin of premature babies is dry and easily wounded, During massage, be sure to use special oils .
Walks	A sharp change in air temperature is contraindicated for premature babies, so walks should be approached with caution. In the summer, children who weigh more than 1.5 kg at birth can be walked at a temperature of at least 25 degrees . You can walk with children weighing more than 2.5 kg even at +10 o. The first should not exceed 10-15 minutes, gradually increasing the walking time.

Remember that a premature baby requires a lot of effort to catch up in development with his peers who were born on time. Therefore, only maximum attention and care from loved ones will help the baby grow up to be a strong and healthy child.

Early children have always been considered special. They are born prematurely. And, therefore, they are not yet ready to begin their life outside the womb. They really need the constant attention of the adults around them, especially their mothers. In the shortest possible time they must catch up with their peers. The most important period is the first year. At this time, weight gain occurs.

Why do premature babies have trouble gaining weight?

Such babies are born weak. The main indicator of their health and development is weight gain. It occurs more actively than in full-term babies.

A lag is also observed in the development of the nervous system. If such children are given the attention they need, by two years the difference becomes unnoticeable. Such children will no longer be any different from their peers.

In case of poor weight gain in premature babies, breast milk is of great importance.

Breast milk has a unique composition and differs in many respects from the milk of a mother whose babies were born full-term.

Breast milk has a number of benefits:

by the amount of protein. It is necessary for accelerated growth of the body;
high content of oligosaccharides in milk. They are considered to stimulate the growth of intestinal microflora and help to successfully digest food;
low lactose content;
high content of antibodies that protect the baby from infections.

Premature babies spend a lot of time sleeping. The initiator of food intake, in this case, will be the mother. The baby should be woken up or the sleepy nipple should be placed in his mouth. The baby sucks weakly and gets tired quickly. After such feedings you need to pump. Such actions will allow you to breastfeed for a long time.

Weight control.

If a premature baby is not gaining weight well, keep a notebook to record breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and note how many urinations there were. It is better to feed the baby when he is sleeping so that he does not get used to the bottle.

Reasons why a premature baby does not gain weight may include:

malnutrition. As a result of the small amount of food entering the child's body, there is nowhere to get calories from. You should make sure that the baby is correctly attached to the breast, listen to whether there are sips during feeding;
poor baby's appetite;
stressful state of mother, newborn. The baby feels the absence of love from his loved one. The emotional perception of the world is disrupted;
health problems. In such cases, you should immediately warn your local pediatrician;
mother's bad habits.

How quickly do premature babies gain weight?

The process may be considered fast if the food is nutritious. It is considered such when it replenishes completed energy expenditures. Full body weight gain occurs when the baby receives the necessary protective substances and microelements along with milk. Weight gain in premature babies is not without certain difficulties. This phenomenon is quite natural.

Nutrition problems of premature babies:

the child is born when the stomach and intestines have not yet fully developed;
eating becomes difficult. Enzymes exhibit low activity;
the baby is not able to suck or swallow correctly;
regurgitation of food often occurs.

The best food for premature babies is breast milk.

They vitally need it. Milk is adjusted in its composition to the needs of the newborn and meets his needs.

How is your weight gain going?

Having been born prematurely, the baby gains about 120 grams weekly. Therefore, in order to control his weight, one should keep records and know, accordingly, what it was at the time of birth. In three months, the body weight of such a baby should double. By the time she is one year old she will have tripled in size. These figures are only for premature babies.

After birth, all children lose their grams, which are then gradually restored.

It should be remembered that weight gain will not begin without stabilizing its condition. In a premature baby, losses are much higher. It requires a special diet.

The addition of grams depends on the frequency of feeding. Such children sleep a lot, the process of eating takes longer. However, this does not affect the amount of milk consumed.

Until the first year of age, babies' body weight may vary. This is associated with:

heredity;
nutrition of the mother herself;
the surrounding atmosphere in the family;
environmental situation.

There are 4 degrees of prematurity in children. They are associated with birth weight and gestational age.

In the table you can see how premature babies of all four degrees of prematurity gain weight.

Table of norms for weight gain in premature babies:

Age by month	Degrees of prematurity with birth weight
Age by month	I (from 2001 to 2500 kg)	II (from 1501 to 2000 kg)	III (from 1001 to 1500 kg)	IV (from 800 to 1000 kg)
1	300	190	190	180
2	800	700-800	650	400
3	700-800	700-800	600-700	600-700
4	700-800	600-900	600-700	600
5	700	800	750	650
6	700	700	800	750
7	700	600	950	500
8	700	700	600	500
9	700	450	650	500
10	400	400	500	450
11	400	500	300	500
1 year	350	400	350	450
Total increase for 1 year	=9450	=8650	=8450	=7080

The weight gain table for a premature baby shows that this phenomenon cannot be called pathology. Children gain normal weight during their first year and outstrip their peers born at normal weight. We should not forget that the table provides approximate data, which may differ in any direction. A premature baby who has begun to gain weight should still be examined monthly by a pediatrician.

After the examination, the doctor conducts:

assessment of his development and health;
adjusts nutritional standards;
will calculate the norms of complementary feeding;
will give certain recommendations on how to enter it;
will advise what vitamin supplements to give the baby.

How do premature babies gain weight at 25 weeks? A child born much prematurely gains weight faster when in direct contact with the mother. If there are no serious problems, such children are discharged from the maternity hospital weighing 2000 grams. Careful monitoring of body weight is necessary for the first two weeks. Every day it should increase by 30 grams. Low increases indicate problems with digestion of food.

Children born prematurely may be developmentally delayed. Caring for them should be approached with great attention, patience, and responsibility. Premature birth can be triggered by an infection, pathology of the placenta, or illness of the mother herself.

What to do if a premature baby is not gaining weight well?

It is important that children grow up healthy and strong, so breastfeeding plays a significant role in solving this problem. Experts have proven that premature babies should gain weight by feeding on breast milk rather than formula.

Breast milk is unique in its composition, as it contains:

much more protein, amino acids. Babies born prematurely are strictly recommended to drink only mother's milk in order to develop faster;
the increased content of oligosaccharides helps stabilize growth and improve digestion.

The weight gain of a premature baby over the months will begin if the baby is applied to the breast correctly. The further growth of the baby depends on the completeness of milk absorption. Thus, establishing breastfeeding is the main factor that allows you to successfully raise a baby. There is a special table that allows you to track what dose your baby should suck every month.