Rules for the development of children born prematurely. How does a premature baby develop?
Hello dear readers. Every woman at the moment when she finds out that in 9 months the dearest, closest person will appear, does everything to keep him healthy. But sometimes life throws up difficulties that we cannot foresee, including preterm birth.
There are many factors that can trigger labor to begin prematurely, these include: poor health of the mother, stress, and more. Once upon a time, premature babies were practically put an end to, they were considered inferior, but today modern medicine has stepped forward, now doctors nurse very small babies, whose weight barely reaches 500 grams.
Of course, at first, the baby is under the strict supervision of doctors, because his body is not yet quite ready for life outside of his mother's tummy. Only after the doctors conduct a complete examination of the baby, provide all the necessary assistance, the baby will be able to go home, now the mother should take care of the health and development of her child. We will talk about how to develop a premature baby.
- Features of the development of a premature baby
- How to develop
Development
At 1 month . If the baby is healthy, then he actively eats and gains weight. Baby spends most of his time sleeping. The mother of a premature baby should spend maximum time next to the baby, hold him in her arms, press him to her body. Tactile contact is very important for a baby, in order for him to be calm and comfortable, he needs to hear the beat of his mother's heart, to which he is so used.
At 2 months . Baby is a little stronger and is already trying to raise his head. A premature baby doll differs from its full-term peers in that it gets tired very quickly. The baby can get tired even from feeding. The baby needs enhanced nutrition, so a nursing mother should eat well. If, upon tactile contact, the baby begins to cry hysterically, be sure to seek help from a doctor. The baby continues to gain weight well, every month he grows by about 3-5 centimeters.
At 3 months . The baby begins to develop reflexes, he reacts to sharp sounds, light, learns to fix his eyes, facial expressions appear on his cute face. Mom must definitely monitor the baby's body temperature, dress him so that he is warm. It is not allowed that the little man constantly sleeps on one side. The room is ventilated daily, wet cleaning is also done
.
At 4 months . The child has learned to raise, hold his head, smiles at his mother, fixes his gaze on objects. Now the mother should start giving the baby a massage. All movements are done with neat soft strokes. Walk in the fresh air often and a lot, undress your child at home and give him air baths. When a mother notices that the baby cannot focus her eyes (mother's face, a bright toy, etc.), be sure to consult a doctor.
At 5 months . Baby hears sounds, looks in this direction. The peanut begins to babble (still very little, it just makes cautious, uncertain sounds). Some children try to grab toys with their hands. It's time to develop the baby.
At 6 months . In place of the hesitant sounds came "aha" and laughter. The weight of his body should become 3 times more than the one with which he was born. Now the baby in its development has practically caught up with its peers.
At 7 months . The kid very often and for a long time speaks, rolls over, laughs. The little toddler already knows how to distinguish native people from strangers, reacts to his mother with cheerful babble and joyful twitching of his arms. The baby's hands are already quite well developed, he takes toys without any problems. You can start crawling.
At 8 months . The little one knows how to crawl, tosses and turns a lot, does not want to be in one place. He tries to sit up on his own. Often premature babies by their 8 months are able to eat from a spoon.
At 9 months . Holding on to the sofa, mom's hand or other support, the baby knows how to sit down. The baby is trying to pronounce simple words. Do not leave the baby unattended, because now he is starting to make attempts to stand on his feet.
At 10 months . Your happiness is sure to stand with the help of support or mom. Makes steps. The baby starts, a vocabulary appears, he can say “mother”, “give”. Now is the age when the baby pays attention to adults, so talk to him more often, sing songs, tell stories.
At 11 months . The cub knows his name. Crawls well, stands. Tries to take his first cautious steps. The line between full-term and premature babies is completely erased, babies develop in the same way.
At 12 months . The peanut intervenes in adult conversations, constantly interrupting. By 12 months, the child weighs 7 times more than at birth, and his height has become 25-38 centimeters taller.
Below is a table of weight gain by months
| Degree of prematurity | ||||||||||
| Baby's age | Grade 1 Birth weight 2-2.5 kg | Grade 2 Birth weight 1.5 -2 kg | Grade 3 Birth weight 1-1.5 kg | Grade 4 Birth weight 800-1000 grams | ||||||
| height | weight | height | weight | height | weight | height | weight | |||
| 1 | +3,7 | +300 | +3,8 | +190 | +3,7 | +190 | +3,9 | +180 | ||
| 2 | +3,6 | +800 | +3,9 | +700 | +4 | +650 | +3,5 | +400 | ||
| 3 | +3,6 | +800 | +3,6 | +700 | +4,2 | +600 | +2,5 | +600 | ||
| 4 | +3,8 | +600 | +3,8 | +700 | +3,7 | +600 | +3,5 | +600 | ||
| 5 | +2,3 | +700 | +3,2 | +600 | +3,6 | +750 | +3,7 | +650 | ||
| 6 | +2 | +700 | +3,3 | +800 | +2,8 | +800 | +3,7 | +750 | ||
| 7 | +1,5 | +600 | +2,3 | +700 | +3 | +950 | +2,5 | +500 | ||
| 8 | +1,5 | +700 | +1,8 | +600 | +1,6 | +600 | +2,5 | +500 | ||
| 9 | +1,5 | +700 | +1,1 | +450 | +2,1 | +500 | +4,5 | +500 | ||
| 10 | +1,5 | +400 | +0,8 | +400 | +1,7 | +300 | +2,5 | +450 | ||
| 11 | +1 | +400 | +0,9 | +500 | +0,6 | +350 | +2,2 | +500 | ||
| 12 | +1,2 | +350 | +1,5 | +400 | +1,2 | +350 | +1,7 | +450 | ||
| Summary for 1 year | 9500 | 8650 | 8450 | 7080 | ||||||
These are only approximate indicators, weight and growth are added differently for each child, depending on nutrition, the ability to eat, and genetics. In order to know everything about the health, development of the baby, the mother must visit the pediatrician once a month.
Helping a child - how to develop
- In order for the development processes to proceed faster, the baby must constantly be in the center of all events, of course, if he does not sleep.
- Daily sand games, in case of bad weather, you can purchase a home sandbox. The game takes place under the close attention of adults, as the curious little one is constantly trying to eat something.
- Develop talents. Draw, dance, sing, sculpt and more.
- Visit the pool. Water fun helps to strengthen muscles.
- When the weight of the child reaches 3 kilograms, you can start hardening.
If parents do everything right, follow the doctor's instructions, then closer to a year all the features of premature babies disappear, they are absolutely no different from their peers.
We look forward to your comments and subscriptions to update the site.
GET A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE ON HOW TO GROW EVERYTHING WITH KIDS AND NOT TIRY! BECOME AN ORGANIZED AND CALM MOM.
Premature children are born before, starting from the date of the last menstruation, and having a body weight below 2500 grams. There are 4 degrees of prematurity according to gestational age and birth weight of the baby:
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 with a weight of 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 physical development and health of the child. A good weight gain can only be ensured if the child has a well-balanced nutrition that satisfies his energy costs, when the baby receives all the nutrients, microelements, and protective complexes he needs. Difficulties with feeding may arise due to the immaturity of the child's gastrointestinal tract, low enzymatic activity, refusal of food by the stomach, and the absence of a swallowing and sucking reflex. Depending on the problem, doctors feed the child through a tube, use parenteral nutrition, when nutrient solutions are administered to the child intravenously.
The best is mother's breast milk. Scientists have proven that milk adapts to the needs of the child, because the milk of a woman who has given birth prematurely has its own unique composition, adapted to a 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 child is transferred to donor milk or a special adapted mixture for premature babies. Indicators of weight gain determine the quality and usefulness of nutrition, the need to introduce or cancel supplementary feeding.
For premature babies, doctors divide into 3 main stages, which differ in the child's need for nutrition 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 with a weight of more than 1.5 kg - 10%, and a deeply premature baby with a weight of up to 1.5 kg - 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 body of the crumbs with all the necessary nutrients.
At the 2nd stage, a constant weight gain is achieved, at least at the level of the intrauterine period. When the child's condition stabilizes, he can independently suckle the breast or bottle, has reached a weight of 2.5 kg, the mother and child are discharged from the department for premature babies. Weight gain per week should be 125-200 grams, depending on the weight of the child at birth. The increase is calculated as follows: + 15 g / kg daily.
At the 3rd stage, the weight of the child is normalized, the period lasts up to a year(for very premature babies longer). The task of parents in this period is to provide the child with good nutrition with enough calories and all the nutrients that are needed for the growth of the child, because a premature baby needs to develop more intensively in order to catch up with their peers. Usually, if the baby was 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 - 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 strength, the numbers may differ, both up and down. Every month the child should be examined by a pediatrician who will assess the physical development and health of the child. Adjustment of nutrition, calculation of the norm of supplementary feeding, 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 a year online
Specify the weight of the child at birth (g)
Specify the height of the child at birth (cm)
Premature baby
| Age, months | Weight gain | Your child'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 |
Did you have a premature baby? Of course, you are worried and ask a lot of questions, the answers to which, alas, you do not always get in a timely manner. Meanwhile, knowing the "weak" places of the baby, you can more easily cope with many situations - for example, feeding or bathing. Yes, and a small weight gain or some lag behind the crumbs in development from their peers will not cause concern.
In addition, remember that any medical forecast is by no means the final "verdict". Quite often, babies with seemingly favorable data die or lag behind in development, while children with gloomy prospects survive and grow up healthy against all odds.
So you want to know everything about premature babies? We will tell you about the features of physiology, development, nursing, feeding and restorative treatment of babies born much earlier than expected.
As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO)
A child is considered premature if he was born between 22 and 37 weeks of gestation (gestation) with a weight of 500 to 2500 grams and a height of 25 to 40 centimeters.
premature baby day
It is celebrated on November 17, which was established in 2009 by the European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Patients.
Degrees of prematurity
They are determined depending on the weight and the number of complete weeks of pregnancy (gestation) at the time of delivery.
I degree
The baby is born at 34-36 weeks and 6 days with a weight of 2001 to 2500 grams. The child is fully mature and self-sufficient. Therefore, as a rule, no special conditions are required. However, sometimes treatment and nursing is necessary - for example, with prolonged jaundice, trauma during childbirth, and some other conditions.
II degree
The baby is born at 31-33 weeks and 6 days with a weight of 1501 to 2000 grams. Usually, a baby quickly adapts to new living conditions with the provision of timely medical care, as well as the creation of appropriate conditions for care and feeding.
III degree
Very early delivery at 28-30 weeks of gestation with a baby weighing 1001 to 1500 grams. Many of these children survive, but in the future they need long-term rehabilitation treatment and observation by doctors of various specialties. Sometimes some babies have various diseases, congenital malformations or genetic abnormalities.
IV degree
Childbirth before 28 weeks of pregnancy with an extremely low birth weight of a child up to 1000 grams. The baby is immature and completely unprepared for new conditions. Every fifth baby is born alive, but the chance of survival is extremely low. Unfortunately, many children die before reaching the age of one month: of those born before 26 weeks - 80-90% of babies, at 27-28 weeks - 60-70%.
Moreover, such children usually have numerous severe diseases and / or congenital malformations, which significantly worsens the prognosis. Parents are explained the further probable fate of the crumbs and the need for long-term nursing. The final decision on the management of a very premature baby is recommended to be made jointly with an obstetrician-gynecologist, neonatologist and parents.
Signs of prematurity
Depend on the number of completed weeks of pregnancy (gestational age) at the time of birth.
Moderate, or I-II degree of prematurity
Baby is mostly active, moves arms and legs, but his muscle tone is somewhat reduced.
Cardiovascular system of premature babies
In utero, the fetus has a special blood circulation. The fact is that the lungs do not participate in breathing, and oxygen enters the blood from the vessels of the placenta. Arterial blood, once in the blood vessels of the baby, mixes with venous blood and is again distributed throughout the body.
This process is possible due to holes, or shunts, between the chambers of the heart and large vessels.
In a full-term baby, after the first breath, auxiliary openings are closed. This is how the blood circulation of the newborn is established, ensuring the supply of arterial blood to the organs and tissues.
Due to the incomplete maturation of tissues in a premature baby, such a restructuring occurs much later. In addition, this process is also delayed due to an increase in the load on the heart and blood vessels: resuscitation (revival) in the delivery room, artificial lung ventilation, intravenous infusion of solutions.
A premature baby often has congenital heart defects that significantly worsen his condition.
A child born before the expected date is sensitive to external stimuli (touch, loud sound) with an increase in heart rate and an increase in blood pressure.
Endocrine system of a premature baby
Cortisol is insufficiently produced by the adrenal cortex, a hormone necessary to adapt the baby to life outside the womb and ensure an adequate response to stress (birth). With adrenal insufficiency, the child's condition deteriorates rapidly: blood pressure drops sharply and the amount of urine decreases, body temperature drops.
The function of the thyroid gland is temporarily reduced (transient hypothyroidism), which leads to a slowdown in the metabolism of the baby. The condition is manifested by a tendency to edema, prolonged jaundice, poor weight gain, and various respiratory disorders.
The sex glands produce hormones in insufficient quantities, so the sexual crisis is not pronounced:
- In girls, the mammary glands moderately enlarge and the labia swell, and spotting from the genitals is not pronounced or absent.
- In boys, the scrotum and penis may swell slightly.
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
Often occurs in the first 3-5 days of life, due to several factors:
- Insufficient stores of glycogen - a form of storage of glucose in cells.
- Reduced production of enzymes by the pancreas, which reduces the breakdown and absorption of glucose from the intestines and stomach.
- Increased synthesis in the pancreas of insulin - a hormone that promotes the penetration of glucose into cells.
What is the danger of hypoglycemia? The maturation of the nervous tissue is disturbed, in the future, epileptic seizures (convulsions) and mental retardation may occur.
The immune system of preterm infants
There is also a positive moment in such work of the immune system: in some babies, the risk of developing allergic reactions after birth is somewhat reduced.
However, as they grow older, on the contrary, the child becomes more susceptible to allergens. Allergic reactions and / or diseases may develop: (combination of protein with iron - to carry oxygen), located in erythrocytes (red blood cells).
- Reduced levels of vitamin K, which is involved in the formation of proteins and some blood factors (for example, prothrombin) responsible for normal blood clotting.
- Reduced ability of platelets (blood cells) to stick together and form blood clots.
Jaundice in premature babies
In utero, the fetus develops fetal hemoglobin, carrying more oxygen to organs and tissues, which is necessary in conditions of mixed circulation.
After birth, fetal hemoglobin is rapidly degraded to form bilirubin- a toxic pigment that spreads throughout the body with blood, staining the skin and mucous crumbs yellow. Bilirubin binds to special proteins that are produced in the liver, then excreted from the body.
In a full-term baby bilirubin levels rarely reach high numbers and are excreted from the body within a few days or two weeks.
In a premature baby this process is delayed due to the immaturity of the liver, insufficient production of bile acids, narrow bile ducts of the liver and gallbladder.
An increase in the level of bilirubin is dangerous because, being a toxic substance, it leads to impaired respiration in cells and the formation of proteins. Most of all, bilirubin "loves" fat cells and nervous tissue.
Physiological weight loss
After birth, all babies "lose weight" for several reasons:
- During childbirth, the body's metabolism and energy consumption by tissues increase.
- Childbirth is stressful for the baby, leading to fluid loss through sweat and breathing.
- The original stool passes - meconium.
The child has nothing to compensate for the losses from the outside, since not enough colostrum and energy enter the body. The baby begins to consume its own "reserves" of brown fat accumulated during fetal development.
Weight recovery takes place at different times. In full-term children - by 7-10 days of life. With a moderate degree of prematurity - usually after the second week of life, with a deep - the third or fourth week. Numerous factors influence the process: the conditions of nursing and feeding, the presence or absence of diseases, and some other points.
urinary system
The exchange of salts and water in premature babies is unstable, so they are equally prone to both the formation of edema and dehydration. In addition, the kidney tissue in which urine is formed is also immature, further contributing to water retention in the body.
Therefore, premature babies often develop early swelling- even during fetal development, in the first hours or days of life. They are soft, spread throughout the body and disappear in the first or second week of life.
Late swelling occur in the second or third week of life, indicating nutritional problems, a decrease in the amount of protein in the body, or the presence of a disease in the child. Edema is dense to the touch, located in the lower third of the abdomen, feet, legs and pubis.
Given the characteristics of organs and tissues, a premature baby needs help to adapt to new living conditions and survive.
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 formation. 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
| Baby's age from birth |
From birth | |||
| weighs less than 1 kg | weighs 1.5 kg | weighs 2 kg | weighs 2.5 kg | |
| Weight gain in grams | ||||
| Monthly | 180 | 190 | 190 | 300 |
| Bimonthly | 400 | 650 | 750 | 800 |
| three month old | 650 | 650 | 750 | 750 |
| four month old | 600 | 650 | 850 | 750 |
| Five month old | 650 | 750 | 800 | 700 |
| six month old (half-year-old) |
750 | 800 | 700 | 700 |
| seven month old | 500 | 950 | 600 | 700 |
| eight month old | 500 | 600 | 700 | 700 |
| Nine months | 500 | 600 | 700 | 700 |
| ten month old | 450 | 500 | 400 | 400 |
| eleven month old | 500 | 300 | 500 | 400 |
| one year old | 450 | 350 | 450 | 300 |
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 is the result of a pregnant woman’s incorrect behavior 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.
Every tenth birth, according to statistics, is early or premature, as a result of which a premature baby is born. He is born before the 37th week of pregnancy, with a weight of less than 2500 grams and a height of up to 45 cm. These parameters of prematurity are conditional, since they can fluctuate in different children. The focus is still on the maturity of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, as well as thermoregulation.
Premature babies are weaker than those born at term. Therefore, their development differs from the established physiological norms of full-term babies. This difference will disappear by 2.5 - 3 years, not earlier. In addition, the development of a child born at the 32nd and 34th week will also have many differences.
What does a premature baby look like?
His weight is much less than the norm (less than 2.5 kg). It has been scientifically proven that babies born after 30 weeks are more likely to grow up healthy and catch up with their peers in development than those born before 28 weeks. The latter require more intensive care, long-term treatment, and a stay in a neonatal intensive care unit.
The earlier a child was born, the less subcutaneous fat layer he has. Because of this, the skin seems transparent, the vascular pattern is clearly visible through it.
Prematurity is noticeable by body proportions, a large head, insufficiently formed auricles, an umbilical fossa located too low. Downy thin hair can also be seen on the body.
Immediately after childbirth, there will be no original lubrication on the body of such a child, since normally it appears in the last weeks of gestation. The large fontanelle is sometimes displaced to the side because the skull is not fully formed. Facial features are pointed, but over time they will acquire the same appearance as in a healthy newborn.
Note:due to the lack of subcutaneous fat, such children quickly and easily become hypothermic, even at room temperature. Therefore, after birth, they are immediately placed in an incubator, in which a certain temperature regime is set.
Such children cry very quietly, sometimes even inaudibly. This is due to the immature respiratory apparatus.
Degrees of prematurity
Prematurity is distinguished taking into account when and with what weight the child was born. The presence of a lag in the development of some organs and systems is also taken into account.
In this case, there are several degrees of prematurity:
- 1 degree- the baby was born at the 35-37th week with a weight of 2-2.5 kg.
- 2 degree- the child was born with a weight of 1.5 to 2 kg for a period of 32-34 weeks of pregnancy.
- 3 degree- the weight of a premature baby at birth at 29-31 weeks of gestation is from 1 to 1.5 kg.
- 4 degree- children born weighing up to 1 kg and up to 29 weeks of pregnancy.
Note:the physical condition of premature babies will approach normal at the age of 12 months, the lag before this period is considered the norm.
The development of a premature baby after its birth is influenced by a number of factors:
- nutrition;
- high-quality, proper and regular care for the baby;
- understanding of parents and their adequate attitude to the problem of the birth of a premature baby;
- the social status of the family itself.
To ensure the full development of such children, it is necessary to carefully care for them and pay attention to the work of each system and organ. It should be borne in mind that children who were born before 30 weeks are 3-4 months behind their peers in development, so they learn all the necessary skills a little later.
The level of development of a premature baby at 1 month
During this month, the baby will gain very little weight due to an underdeveloped swallowing reflex and sluggish sucking activity. That is why often food comes through the probe.
During this period, there is a very high risk of joining infectious diseases that give serious complications, so it is very important to protect the child. There is also a pronounced instability of the nervous system, which lasts up to 4 months.
From birth, it is necessary to maintain vocal and tactile contact with the baby. He must feel the voice of his mother, feel her smell, body heat. If possible, it should be ensured that he stays in the arms of his mother for as long as possible.
The level of development of preterm at 2 months
The child becomes stronger, begins to gain weight better. A positive weight gain in the 2nd month is the main criterion for the healthy development of a premature baby.
By the second month of a baby's life, it is allowed to lay it on the stomach. But the baby still does not know how to hold his head in this position on his own, like his full-term peers.
A well-developed sucking-swallowing reflex also becomes noticeable. But in the process of natural breastfeeding, 2-month-old premature babies quickly become tired, so they need to be supplemented with expressed milk. It is important to consider that the interval between feedings will be less than 3 hours.
How does a premature baby develop at 3 months
At this age, the baby is already trying to fix his eyes on the face of his mother, to raise his head on his own. You need to provide him with proper sleep and food. At the 3rd month of life, a grasping reflex begins to form, the child actively reacts to tactile contact, he has mimic reactions.
During this period, the mass of the child increases by 1.5-2 times. Auditory and visual attention begins to develop more actively. It is necessary to carefully monitor the physiological state of the child. It is important not to overcool it, and not overheat. Between feedings, the premature baby sleeps most of the time, so the wakefulness period is short.
You should not forget about the frequent change in body position. It is better if the light source is dimmed rather than bright, with it the non-born will feel more comfortable.
What should a premature baby be able to do at 4 months
The baby learns to confidently raise and hold his head. He tries to make sounds, grab the toy with his palm, more confidently fixes his gaze on an object or face.
An increase in muscle tone is likely, which is easily corrected with the help of special gymnastics and massage for premature babies. Air baths and water procedures are very useful.
How does a premature baby develop at 5 months
Now the baby can already independently hold a rattle in his hand or grab a suspended toy with his hand.
He often smiles, he has an interest in everything that surrounds him. He reacts much better to light and sound, turns his head in his direction.
Also, at the 5th month, premature babies begin to walk.
Sixth month of life premature
Now the weight of the child is 2-2.5 times more than at birth. The baby is trying to roll over on his stomach from the back.
The psycho-emotional development of a premature baby is also accelerated. Not all children, but most of them, can already distinguish native people from strangers. When communicating with them, they come to life, become active, walk, move their arms and legs.
With the support of the child's armpit, he tries to rest his feet on the surface.
Development of a premature baby at 7 months
The activity of the baby becomes more and more, he already knows how to roll over onto his stomach from his back and vice versa. Can make the first attempts to crawl in a plastunsky way.
At 7 months old, the baby already holds the toy in his hand confidently. If a baby is born at the 35th week, then his first teeth may begin to erupt.
What can a premature baby at 8 months
Starting from this age, the baby shows an interest in communicating with others, and not just in what he does himself. He likes verbal contact with others (reading fairy tales, singing songs, changing the intonation of words, etc.).
The movements of the child become more skillful and confident. He tries to stand on all fours on his own, knows how to sway and sit.
The baby understands and knows some objects well, can show them if asked. Starting from 8 months, a premature baby learns to eat from a spoon.
How does a baby develop at 9 months
The first attempts to crawl appear, and the child sits much more confidently. He constantly needs the attention of his relatives, as the need for communication increases even more than before.
At this time, he most often pronounces the first words in the form of separate syllables. The child is already playing with toys . He makes attempts to stand up, holding on to something, and sits down from a position, standing on his side, while leaning on his arm.
While eating, he can put a piece of food in his mouth himself. Babies born at 32-33 weeks of gestation may have their first teeth.
10th month: what a premature baby can do
At the 10th month of life, a premature baby already knows how to stand and does it quite confidently. But still, to stand on his feet, he needs support.
Important:no need to overdo it and force the baby to stand if he does not want to. Doctors do not recommend doing this for both full-term and premature babies.
Holding onto a support, the baby can move around, but still prefers crawling. Shows great interest in objects that move, make sounds. The child already knows his name and responds to it. Those born before the 31st week of pregnancy may have their first teeth.
Prematurity at 11 months
The child already knows how to independently and confidently sit down, stand up, take the toy with his hand and put it in place. This is a period of active knowledge of the surrounding world, by crawling and standing, holding on to a support.
The kid is very active in contact with his family.
12th month of life
Some premature babies (not all) can take their first steps towards 12 months of age. But it's too early for them to walk on their own. Around this time, in terms of physical development, premature babies are catching up with their peers. At the same time, neuropsychic immaturity still persists. Finally, the difference will disappear by 2-3 years (depending on the degree of prematurity).
