Development of a premature baby by months: everything will be fine! Physical and mental development of preterm infants

Babies who were born earlier than expected develop a little differently than full-term babies. Their development is proceeding at a faster pace, and by the age of one, a premature baby practically does not differ from a crumb born on time.

Babies born prematurely in the first months of life need special conditions of detention

However, in the first months after birth, the differences will be significant - both in appearance, and in the rate of weight gain, and in the development of various skills.

Features of development in prematurity

Premature babies are those born between 21 and 37 weeks of gestation. Their development is characterized by the following features:

Babies learn basic skills a few months later than full-term peers. If the baby was born before 32 weeks of gestation, then the lag is 3-4 months, and for children who were born after this period, the lag will be only 1-2 months.
Babies weighing less than 1500 g require special conditions immediately after birth, so they are kept in incubators, in which conditions are close to intrauterine. After gaining weight up to 1700 g, the baby will move to the crib, which has heating. When the body weight of the baby reaches 2000, special thermal support is no longer required.
Due to the special functioning of the nervous system of the baby at birth prematurely, such babies need increased attention. It is very important to surround the baby with affection and after discharge to create comfortable conditions at home.

Thermoregulation of a premature baby has its own characteristics. The room should have a temperature in the range of 20-22 ° C, and humidity - 50-70%. See more about this in the program of Dr. Komarovsky.

Appearance

A premature baby looks like this:

The baby's body weight is very low, and the growth is tiny.
The skin of the crumbs is thin, with many wrinkles, in the first days it is pronounced red.
The auricles are thin and soft, can stick together.
On the back and limbs (and sometimes on the face) there is a soft hair down, which is called lanugo.
The head of the baby looks disproportionately large, it corresponds to about 1/3 of the body length.
The baby's belly is large, and the navel is lower.
The neck and limbs of the little one are short.
The plates on the nails are very thin, almost transparent.
The external genital organs are not fully formed - in boys, the testicles have not descended into the scrotum, and in girls there is a gaping of the genital slit.
A large fontanel has shifted due to an underdeveloped skull.
A small fontanel may have areas without skin.
The child is lethargic and weak.

Premature babies have a lower body weight than babies born at term.

Height and weight in the table

Depending on the initial weight of the baby, several degrees of prematurity are distinguished:

Grade 1 - children weighing from 2 kg to 2.5 kg. They are usually born at 36-37 weeks. By the year, such babies increase their mass by 4-5 times.
Grade 2 - babies weighing from 1.5 kg to 2 kg. This weight is typical for babies born at 32-35 weeks of pregnancy. By the year, their body weight increases by 5-7 times.
Grade 3 - children weighing 1-1.5 kg. These babies are called low birth weight or very premature babies. They are born at 28-31 weeks of gestation, and by the year their weight increases by 6-7 times.
Grade 4 - babies weighing less than 1000 g. This weight is called extreme. They are born for up to 28 weeks and increase their mass by 8-10 times by the year.

The rate of weight gain for premature babies in the first year of life will be something like this:

	1 degree of prematurity	2nd degree of prematurity	3 degree of prematurity	4th degree of prematurity




5 months
6 months
7 months
8 months
9 months
10 months
11 months
12 months

The increase in growth is also determined by the degree of prematurity of the baby and will be:

	1 degree of prematurity	2nd degree of prematurity	3 degree of prematurity	4th degree of prematurity




5 months
6 months
7 months
8 months
9 months
10 months
11 months
12 months

Caring for a premature newborn has its own characteristics. Be sure to check out our article.

1 month

Premature babies in the first month of life may not be active. They are often inactive, and their muscle tone is reduced. They gain weight very slowly and most often simply compensate for weight loss in the first days of life.

The sucking reflex is often absent, so the baby is fed with a probe. Children who are unable to breathe on their own are artificially ventilated.

In the first month of life, a mother should always be next to a premature baby

Mom in the first month should always be close to the baby, providing him with bodily contact and the opportunity to hear her voice.

2 months

By the beginning of this month, the baby begins to actively gain weight and add more in body length than his full-term peers. However, he, as before, quickly gets tired and is greatly weakened. It is very important to provide crumbs with enhanced nutrition. If the baby is not breastfeeding, it is advisable to express milk and feed him the required number of times.

By the end of the month, the little one learns to raise his head in a position on his tummy.

3 months

Weight gain at this age is quite active, so many babies double their birth weight. The baby responds well to sounds and light, but the baby still sleeps most of the day.

4 months

A premature baby of this age already knows how to raise and hold his head for some time. The baby learned to fix his gaze on a contrasting object, and also began to make sounds that resemble cooing. In the daily routine of the baby, there must certainly be walks, gymnastics, massage and bathing.

It is very important not to stop lactation, because the baby so needs contact with his mother and her healthy milk.

Often at this age, muscle tone increases, which is why the baby often wakes up or hardly fits into the crib.

5 months

At this age, a premature baby gives his mother the first conscious smile. Due to the slightly increased tone of the limbs, the movements of the baby are still a little convulsive, but the baby is already able to hold a small rattle in the handle. Mental development is progressing at a rapid pace. The baby already easily finds the source of the sound by turning his head.

6 months

An infant of this age begins to catch up with the development of peers who were born full-term. His weight triples when compared with the weight with which the baby was born. He recognizes loved ones and distinguishes their voices, babbles a lot, laughs, plays with toys. If the crumbs are supported under the armpits, the crumbs will rest their feet on the surface and push off like a spring.

Some 6-month-old babies learn rollovers on their stomach from the back.

7 months

Toddlers of this age easily roll over on their stomachs, take toys in their hands, can crawl a little to the toy located in front of them, babble for a long time, learn to eat from a spoon. The "speech" of the little one is so diverse that it is quite comparable to the babble of full-term babies. If the baby was born at a period of 35-37 weeks, his first teeth begin to cut.

8 months

By this age, the baby has already learned quite well to control his own body. He consciously rolls over, stands on all fours and sways, tries to sit down and crawl.

The psychological development of the little one is also progressing. The kid understands the speech addressed to him, looks for the named object, listens with pleasure to songs and rhymes, actively absorbing all the information received.

9 months

At this age, many babies are already able to sit up on their own, and also begin to rise to their feet, holding on to the railing of the crib or playpen, and then sit back down. The first teeth appear in peanuts born at 32-34 weeks.

When the baby is awake, he plays with toys for a long time. The child can already perform simple requests, such as waving goodbye or giving a hand to say hello. Short words or only the first syllables of words appear in the "speech" of the little one. The kid learns to reproduce the intonation of the speech of an adult.

By 9 months, babies are already quite developed. They try to crawl, sit and stand up

10 months

By this age, most babies learn to stand on their own and, holding on to the fence, move along it. The first teeth appear in babies born before 31 weeks.

The little one is already able to keep his eyes on a toy that moves for a long time. A variety of liners and balls are especially interesting for the baby.

The baby already knows his own name well and listens with interest to the speech of an adult, learning new words.

11 months

Some babies take their first steps at this age. Those children who are not yet ready to walk crawl quickly, get up and sit down easily. Babies 11 months old really like cubes and pyramids, as well as various wheelchairs and cars. The child knows many household activities and performs them at the request. Many short words for animals and objects appear in his speech.

12 months

By the year, premature babies almost do not differ from those born on time peanuts either in physical indicators, or in psycho-emotional development, or in acquired skills. In some babies, movements may still be too sharp and uncoordinated, but in general, children of this age are very mobile and active.

For more information on the development of preterm infants, see the following videos.

A baby is considered premature if he was born earlier than 37 weeks after conception. There are many reasons for having a baby early:

1. Social and biological factors.

1.1. Age of parents (too young or too old).

1.2. No matter how trite it may sound, but, nevertheless, the fact remains: many mothers with bad habits and / or neglecting medical examinations and doctors' recommendations during pregnancy give birth prematurely.

1.3. The risk of having a premature baby is many times higher in single women. This is due to psychological, emotional and social factors.

2. Abortions that preceded this conception.

3. Frequent childbirth, the period between which is less than two years.

4. Various illnesses of parents.

5. Pathological course of pregnancy.

6. Anomalies in the development of the female reproductive system.

7. Multiple pregnancy.

In any case, do not despair, there is nothing particularly terrible in the birth of a premature baby, and the chances of raising him as a full-fledged person are very high, you just need to put a little effort and patience in the first years of a baby's life.

In total, 4 degrees of prematurity are distinguished, based on the weight of the premature baby and its height.

1 degree. The child was born at a period of 35-37 weeks, and the weight of a premature baby ranges from 2001 grams to two and a half kilograms.

2 degree. Term: 32-34 weeks, and weight from 1501 grams to two kilograms.

3 degree. Term: 29-31 weeks, weight - from 1001 grams to one and a half kilograms.

4 degree. The gestation period is less than twenty-nine weeks, and the baby weighs less than one kilogram.

The difficulty of nursing a child depends on the degree of prematurity. The higher it is, the harder it is. It should be borne in mind that the main problem of premature babies is not low weight, as some believe, but an insufficient level of development of vital organs and body systems. In other words, a child, being born earlier, simply does not have time to “ripen” for life outside the womb.

For newborns who were born ahead of time, some external signs are characteristic.

Features of premature babies and their signs

1. Small size. Small growth is directly proportional to the degree of prematurity.

2. Lack of subcutaneous fat layer. Premature babies do not look malnourished. External exhaustion is inherent in children with malnutrition of the second or third degree.

3. Low muscle tone, lethargy, weak cry, lack of hunger. That is, adynamia.

4. The physique is disproportionate, a large head and small short limbs.

5. Large and flattened abdomen with a clear divergence of the rectus muscles.

6. The predominance of the brain skull over the facial.

7. Compliance of cranial bones.

8. Soft ear shells.

9. Soft fluffy hairline, which is located mainly on the back and shoulders, is also a feature of premature babies.

10. An empty scrotum in boys and a gaping genital gap in girls, that is, the large labia do not overlap the small ones.

11. Lack of swelling of the mammary glands.

12. Exophthalmos (bulging eyes).

13. Weak development of nails. Nails may not reach to the fingertips.

Individually, these signs cannot serve as an indicator of prematurity. Too many factors affect the maturity of the child and the functionality of the body of the newborn. Do not focus only on the weight of the baby after birth. The main criteria that determine the characteristics of each individual newborn are the causes of premature birth, the degree of prematurity, the age and weight of the child.

Birth of a premature baby and the first weeks of life

In the delivery room... Clothes for premature babies in the first moments of life

Doctors working in delivery rooms know that obstetric care for premature babies must be done carefully so as not to injure the child and not accidentally put pressure on the baby's skull. After separation from the mother, the child, who was born prematurely, is transferred to a changing table prepared ahead of time, warmed to the desired temperature, which is illuminated by the rays of an electric reflector. All manipulations with the baby are carried out with care, clearly and quickly. After that, the child is wrapped in sterile warm diapers, and warmed portable incubators are placed in blankets, then they are taken to a special ward for babies born prematurely. Clothing for premature babies, most often, consists of soft flannel blouses with long sleeves and a hood. A hat is put on the head, and warm socks are put on the feet.

Not all children who were born earlier than the “usual” term end up in the department of the maternity ward, which specializes in nursing premature babies. When deciding whether to place a premature baby in an intensive care unit or intensive care unit, doctors take into account not only the gestational age at which the birth occurred, but also the proportional ratio of height and weight, the presence of malformations, congenital anomalies, breathing problems, and many other factors. If the opinion of experts agrees that the condition of the newborn does not pose a threat to his health, then the child is discharged home at the usual time.

If resuscitation is needed...

If the vital systems of the child's body are too poorly developed, for example, a premature baby is unable to breathe on his own, then even in this case, the baby has a chance to survive! In such cases, the child enters the pediatric intensive care unit immediately after birth. Here, the babies are in special incubators, which are closed transparent domes with caps and four holes for various medical manipulations, located on different sides in two pieces. All these incubators are equipped with artificial lung ventilation devices.

A certain temperature is constantly maintained in the incubator, since the danger for the baby is not only hypothermia, but also overheating, and a certain humidity of the air, approximately 60%, which is due to avoiding the risk of drying of the mucous membranes. In rare cases, water mattresses are installed in the incubators, the purpose of which is to maintain the conditions in which the baby is located, as close as possible to the conditions of the amniotic fluid. With the help of numerous sensors, a premature baby is connected to automatic monitoring systems that control all the processes of his life, and, if necessary, give an alarm to doctors. Resuscitation procedures consist not only of artificial ventilation of the lungs and feeding through a tube. Babies born prematurely are at risk of developing complications, the vast majority of which can be prevented and even cured!

When the baby is able to breathe on its own, and when there is no need for ventilation, the next stage of survival begins, usually carried out in neonatal intensive care units. There are also incubators here, but, unlike the incubators located in intensive care units, they are not equipped with artificial lung ventilation devices. But, nevertheless, in these couveuses the necessary temperature and humidity are also maintained. In the intensive care unit, the baby is kept until he is able to do without additional oxygen supply and independently maintain body temperature.

Feeding premature babies in an incubator

Those babies who have a weak or no sucking reflex at all receive, in the first few weeks, warmed mother's milk, to which, sometimes, special additives are added, through a tube. The probe is a thin tube that is inserted directly into the baby's stomach.

Features of the development of a premature baby after birth

Depending on the gestational age at which the birth occurred, the baby has certain developmental features.

If a premature baby was born before 29 weeks from the moment of conception

Children born at this time are characterized by low weight, which is less than a kilogram. A distinctive feature of such a child is the absence of respiratory, swallowing and sucking reflexes. That is why life support is carried out with the help of special medical equipment. Often, a child born at such a time does not know how to cry and spends most of his time in a dream, and due to weak muscle tone, his movements are sluggish and rare. The external differences between premature babies and babies born on time are red-violet skin color with folds, lanugo (fluff that covers the face and body of the baby), the absence of eyelashes and closed eyes. Due to the absence of a layer of subcutaneous fat, the child looks thin, but not emaciated. Exhaustion is a sign of malnutrition. Babies born before 29 weeks of age are at risk of various complications and may face problems in raising and teaching at preschool age. Fortunately, cases of children being born at such times are very rare.

Premature baby 29 weeks

Outwardly, it is very similar to a child born at an earlier date. However, there are significant differences: its weight is greater, and the likelihood of subsequent complications is lower. Often, these children are placed in an incubator with constant temperature and humidity, as well as providing supplemental oxygen.

Premature baby 30 weeks

The baby can be fed with breast milk through a tube. The first movements appear, there may even be cases when a child grabs an adult's finger.

Premature baby 31 weeks of birth

Some children already know how to cry and open their eyes, and the movements are more intense than in children born at an earlier date. But, nevertheless, such babies are still at risk and need medical supervision.

Premature baby 32 weeks

As a rule, it can breathe on its own, and its weight is, on average, over one and a half kilograms.

Premature baby 33 weeks

Can be breastfed or bottle fed, unless, of course, there are problems with the breathing of the newborn.

Premature baby 34 weeks

They have a higher chance of survival, and their weight is more than two kilograms. There are fewer possible health problems, and the general condition of the newborn is better.

Premature baby 36 weeks

Weight comes gradually comes to optimal levels, and possible health risks are ailments such as: jaundice and poor thermoregulation, which is relatively easy to treat without consequences for later life.

A premature baby of 36 weeks has relatively good health, and, as a rule, he is discharged home as soon as possible.

Features of premature babies at different time periods after discharge from the hospital

In relation to full-term babies, babies born prematurely have somewhat delayed development of mental, emotional, and motor skills.

Development of a premature baby by months (general information)

A premature baby weighing up to one kilogram.

The child begins to focus on sources of sound and attention at the age of 2-3 months.

The ability to sit up independently appears after 9 months.

The first steps appear after 14 months.

A premature baby with a body weight from a kilogram to 1500 g.

The child begins to focus on sources of sound and attention at the age of 2-2.5 months.

The ability to hold the head upright appears at the age of three to four months.

The child begins to roll over from back to stomach at 6-7 months, and from stomach to back at 7-8.

The ability to sit up independently appears after 8 months.

The child begins to stand up on his own at the age of 11-12 months.

The first steps appear after 14 months of life.

The first words the child begins to pronounce after a year of life.

Premature baby weighing from 1500 g to 2 kg.

The child begins to focus on sources of sound and attention at the age of 1.5-2 months.

The ability to hold the head upright appears at the age of two months.

The child begins to roll over from back to stomach at 5-6 months, and from stomach to back at 6-7 months.

The ability to sit up independently appears after 7 months.

The child begins to stand up on his own at the age of 9-10 months.

A premature baby with a body weight of two to two and a half kilograms.

The child begins to focus on sources of sound and attention at the age of 1-1.5 months.

The ability to hold the head upright appears at the age of one and a half to two months.

The child begins to roll over from back to stomach at 5-5.5 months, and from stomach to back at 6-7 months.

The ability to sit down independently appears after six months of life.

The child begins to stand up independently at the age of 9 months.

The first steps appear after 11 months of life.

The first words the child begins to pronounce after 11 months.

Development of a premature baby by months (valid for the first degrees of prematurity)

Premature baby 1 month

The child gains mass and raises his head.

Premature baby 2 months

The child, lying on his stomach, learns to keep his head in a horizontal position.

Premature baby 3 months

Attempts to fix the gaze on one point, the development of facial expressions.

Premature baby 4 months

The baby already knows how to smile, focuses his eyes and keeps his head upright without much effort.

Premature baby 5 months

The baby turns his head to sounds, movements of his arms and legs appear in response to the appeal of his parents, and so far makes slurred sounds.

Premature baby 6 months

Children grab hanging toys, find invisible sources of sounds, and begin to babble.

Premature baby 7 months

There is a rapid mental and emotional development. The child already knows how to distinguish loved ones from strangers, picks up various objects, babbles. A variety of long hums appear.

Premature baby 8 months

Movements develop in a horizontal position. Children begin to roll over on their stomach from their backs and back. They start to crawl and try to sit up.

Premature baby 9 months

The child begins to pronounce individual syllables, tries to repeat after adults. Efforts are being made to get up. Calmly sits down, holding on to the barrier.

Premature baby 10 months

The set of manipulations with objects is expanding, the child can already stand, leaning on the barrier.

Premature baby 11 months

Psycho-emotional and motor development begin to improve.

Premature baby 12 months

The child stands relatively confidently. Has a strong interest in the environment, reacts to adults, actively manipulates objects.

Self-reliance in eating, such as holding a spoon, bread, manipulation of a spoon, in premature babies begin to appear at the age of six months to ten months. Neatness skills - from nine months to a year.

Caring for premature babies at home

A premature baby has a number of features and requires special conditions for its full development. Such conditions can be easily created at home, you should only follow a few recommendations.

First, care for premature babies is temperature control.

A premature baby needs to create optimal temperature conditions at home. The air temperature should be 22-25 degrees Celsius. Airing the premises should be carried out every three hours for fifteen to twenty minutes. Near the child, directly under the blanket with which he is covered, the temperature should be maintained at twenty-eight to thirty-two degrees Celsius. Often, especially in the winter season, there is a need for additional heating of the newborn. To do this, it is convenient to use rubber heating pads with hot (60-65 degrees) water. It should be remembered that electrical appliances should not be used to heat the baby. Depending on the degree of prematurity and the temperature conditions in the room, 1 to 3 heating pads can be used. Heating pads are wrapped in fabric (towels, diapers or in special bags) and placed under the blanket at the feet and over the blanket on the sides at a distance of the palm of an adult from the child. For constant monitoring of the temperature and for convenience in general, you can put a thermometer next to the child.

It is important not to put heating pads under the child, to avoid burns, and to put it on top, as this will make it difficult to breathe. You also need to change the heating pads alternately every one and a half to two hours and make sure that the child does not remain without heating, even for short periods of time. The face of a newborn should always be open.

By the end of the first month, the baby will begin to “keep” the body temperature on its own, and, as a result, it will be possible to completely abandon artificial heating. Measurements of the child's body temperature should be made twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, unless, of course, the doctor instructed otherwise. Body temperature is measured without undressing the baby.

Clothes for premature babies

A baby who was born with a body weight of more than two kilograms does not need to be wrapped up. He is dressed in the same way as full-term babies. Children who weigh less than two kilograms need a lot more things. The most optimal is clothing for premature babies, which consists of such elements as knitted bonnets, knitted blouses with a hood and sewn-in sleeves, sliders and diapers. A child dressed in this way should be wrapped in a flannel blanket, placed in a woolen envelope and covered with a flannel blanket on top. By the end of the first month, the blanket and envelope should be gradually abandoned. It should be remembered that tight swaddling restricts the baby's breathing, which is categorically contraindicated. For uniform breathing by all parts of the lungs of a newborn, it is necessary to regularly turn the baby from one side to the other.

Bathing a premature baby

Babies whose birth weight was less than one and a half kilograms should not be bathed in the first two to three weeks of being at home. Children whose birth weight was above 1500 grams are allowed to bathe after 7-10 days. In the first three months of a child's life, bathing is carried out in boiled water. The temperature in the bathing room should be twenty-five degrees Celsius, and the water temperature should be 38 C.

Nutrition of premature babies. Feeding methods

Breast-feeding.

Feeding premature babies with probes using infusion pumps.

Portioned feeding with a probe (food is injected with a syringe)

Mixed or artificial feeding, using special mixtures for premature babies.

Feeding premature babies

When babies are able to feed on their mother's breasts, they should be provided with the most comfortable feeding of premature babies.

It is often difficult for a child to keep a nipple in his mouth. In this case, the most effective position of the baby in the arms will be the “under the arm” or “cradle” position, when the child is located along the forearm, and the mother’s hand supports the child by the shoulders.

If the child swallows air, then it is worth taking a reclining position, for example, placing several pillows under his back.

In order for the baby to hold the nipple, you can use the so-called "dancer's hand" method, which consists in supporting the baby's cheeks and chin with the mother.

walks

During walks, care should be taken, as sudden changes in temperature can adversely affect the health of the baby. Premature babies who were born with a body weight of more than one and a half kilograms are allowed to take out for walks from the age of two weeks at an air temperature outside the window of 25-26 degrees Celsius. The first walk should not be long, only ten to fifteen minutes, then the duration can be increased each time by 10-20 minutes, thereby bringing it up to one to one and a half hours. In autumn and spring, at temperatures below ten degrees Celsius, it is allowed to walk with babies aged one month and weighing two and a half kilograms. If the air temperature is below eight degrees, walks with children are allowed when they reach the age of two months and body weight over 2800 grams.

The child is very dependent on the mother, and not only on her physical health, but also on the psychological state. In order for a child to grow and develop normally, it is necessary to create favorable conditions for him, and in order to create them, first of all, you need to start with the mother herself. The most important thing is not to despair and look to the future with optimism. Even when the baby was born prematurely and was sent to the children's ward, the mother can still take care of him and take care of him. Maternal care will have a positive impact not only on the health of the child, but also on the psychological state of the parents. There are some simple but extremely effective rules that will help the whole family.

First, the mother should spend as much time with the baby as possible. Even eye contact with the child will favorably affect the psychological state of the mother.

An important role is played by tactile contact, simple maternal touch is very important for premature babies.

Perhaps the most important factor is minimizing stress. Of course, the birth of a premature baby brings a lot of discomfort and stress, but you need to learn how to cope with them, and only then will your baby grow up healthy and happy.

It is important to conserve breast milk. By the way, the absence of stressful situations will greatly facilitate the preservation of lactation. Even if your baby is too weak to breastfeed, try offering to breastfeed instead of formula.

Participate in the care of your baby. Ask your neonatologist what steps you can take to take care of it. It could be feeding, swaddling, or anything else. If you have any questions, you can always contact the staff for help. All this will help overcome the depressed state, improve the mood of the mother, and, of course, will have a positive effect on the child.

All parents premature babies they are interested in how their baby will grow and develop in the future, whether it will lag behind in development from their friends born at term, and when this lag will equalize. Therefore, many people are looking for information about development of a premature baby by months. But let's see if there is an opportunity to answer this question.

preterm birth

As I already wrote, it is considered as such if he was born prematurely with 21 By 37 weeks pregnant and his body weight is less than 2500 g, and his body length is less than 45–47 cm. Based on these data, we understand that a person born on 25 weeks pregnant will be different from development of a premature baby born on 34 weeks pregnant. Also on baby development influence: the child is born by force or naturally; was there intrauterine growth retardation; whether the child had hypoxia during childbirth; how quickly the baby was assisted at birth and a host of other factors.

special child

The only thing you need to know is that your child is special, he wanted to meet this world early. And its further development is individual. Of course, a big load falls on your shoulders, now it largely depends on you. child development and if you make an effort, then very soon your baby will catch up with his peers born on time. Some premature babies already to catch up with their peers, others need more time. Doctors say that in child development must be taken into account degree of prematurity and if your baby was born two months premature, motor skills will be delayed by the same two months. For example, your baby went eighth month of life, and his development skills so far correspond to sixth month of life child born at term. There is evidence that children with II-IV degree prematurity ( degree of prematurity see -) catch up with their peers by the end of the second month of life, and with I degree prematurity - by the end of the first year. But I look at my son and understand that all these data are conditional, because each child is individual, like his parents, who make (or do not make) efforts to help the baby develop.

My son was born with a III degree of prematurity and now at 1.3 differs from his peers only in height and weight. We have a friend who was born at term and is half a month older than us. My son began to independently hold his head and sit later than he did. But crawling and walking - much earlier. Therefore, you need to know that the development of the child is individual, both in full-term and premature babies? Our friend, who was with us in the hospital, was born on 28 weeks pregnant and younger than her son by 1 day, so she develops at a slightly different pace than Bogdasha. Also in the hospital we met twins who were born with a weight of 800g and 900g, they are now 1.4, their development is delayed by about 2-3 months, as if they were born at term.

How to help a baby

If a little special person has appeared in your family, then now the most important thing for him is your love, affection and care. How can you help your child develop?

Frequent walks in the fresh air. Remember, there is never enough fresh air.
Regular massage (daily do baby massage, gymnastics and once every 1-2 months professional)
Communicate with your child as much as possible, sing songs to him, read poetry, turn on classical music
Take the baby in your arms as much as possible, kiss him, play with him. Put it on yourself or your dad naked on your stomach so that there is skin-to-skin contact

I am sure that parental love and affection work wonders! Your still so tiny baby will soon surprise everyone with his successes and achievements. Napoleon, Newton, Mendeleev, Byron, Suvorov, Darwin, Rousseau, Mozart, Goethe, Schiller - all these great people were born prematurely. So who knows why and why this happened, and the baby was born ahead of schedule.

I think we have dealt with the issue development of a premature baby by months. Good luck, strength and patience. You will definitely be fine!

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

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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

Normally proceeding pregnancy comes to an end with childbirth in term. Babies born between 38 and 42 weeks are considered full term. If the birth occurred before 37 weeks, and the weight of the baby is less than 2500 grams, then we are talking about a premature baby. There are 4 degrees of prematurity in children, they are determined by the period of resolution of pregnancy, and the maturity of the functions of his body.

The development of a premature baby by months to a year will be different from the development of full-term babies. Such children develop much faster, as if they want to catch up and overtake their peers who were born on time.

Parents of premature babies will have to take courage and patience. Premature babies can grow up to be healthy, strong and smart, they just need to be given much more attention and care.

Degrees of prematurity

Extreme prematurity. Such children make up about 5% of all premature babies. Their birth weight is less than 1000 grams. Unfortunately, with such a low weight in a child, the immaturity of all organs and systems of the body is observed, the percentage of complications and disability in survivors is very high. Since 2012, our country has adopted a law on the mandatory nursing of children weighing 500 grams or more. These measures require colossal achievements in neonatology and do not always guarantee a positive outcome.
Deep prematurity. In this case, the weight of a small premature baby ranges from 1000 to 1500 grams. Such children have every chance not only to survive, but also to fully develop. Babies are placed in special incubators, they are fed through a tube. In the incubators, conditions similar to the intrauterine state are recreated. These devices maintain a special temperature and humidity. Here the children are until they reach a weight of 1700 grams, then they are transferred to special heated beds.
Children born at 34 weeks have one feature. These babies already know how to breathe on their own, they have a sucking reflex, but there is a risk of a sudden stoppage of breathing - apnea. The reasons for this factor are not yet fully understood, most often they are associated with neurological or muscular disorders.
A baby born at the 36th week of pregnancy is closest in physiological parameters to a full-term baby. He breathes on his own and can suckle. After the birth of such children, it is necessary to show the pediatrician weekly, if necessary, to undergo an examination.
Sometimes there are cases that, against the background of normal weight, the child still lacks the general maturity of the body or individual functions. In this case, children undergo a thorough medical examination, their development is corrected.

Discharging from maternity hospital

Depending on the degree of prematurity, the child can spend in the hospital from a couple of weeks to six months. Immediately after birth, the neonatologist decides to transfer the newborn to the intensive care unit, then to the intensive care unit. The mother of the baby can come to the baby, bring expressed milk, take it in her arms. If everything goes well, the development of the child is normal, then the baby is discharged home under the close supervision of a pediatrician. The main output indicators are as follows:

weight 2000 grams or more;
independent breathing and sucking movements of the mouth;
stable normal body temperature;
no complications;
steady progress in development.

Development at home

It is important that parents know and know how to care for their baby. They should understand the peculiarities of the development of premature babies, know what and how to feed the baby, regularly show it to doctors, be able to contact and receive urgent qualified advice if such a need arises.

To worry less, mom and dad should read the relevant literature, consult a doctor, study the tables on the Internet, where the development of a premature baby is clearly visible for months up to a year.

In the article we will provide basic information from birth to 1 year.

As a rule, during badly gaining weight. He is still too weak, the formation of sucking and swallowing functions is not completed. Parents need to protect the baby from hypothermia and from contact with other people so as not to catch the infection.
At two months, the baby has already learned to suck, eats well, and began to gain weight. You can try putting it on your tummy.
At 3 months, a grasping reflex develops, emotions are already appearing on the face. The baby fixes his gaze, recognizes his mother and reacts to strokes.
At the fourth month of life, the baby already confidently holds his head, grabs toys with his hands. It is necessary to monitor his correct physical development, do massage and gymnastics.
At 5 months, the child reacts to the world around him. He determines the source of the sound, likes to examine new bright toys and begins to make sounds.
At 6 months, the first attempts to roll over from the back to the tummy occur. The kid with might and main twists legs and arms, rejoices at familiar faces, loves to sit in the arms of mom or dad. As a rule, at this age, the developmental gap in comparison with full-term children completely disappears.
The seven-month-old baby loves to crawl, especially for toys. Teeth begin to erupt. If summer is outside the window, feel free to take the baby out into the yard. Scattered sunlight and fresh air will strengthen his health and prevent the development of rickets.
At this age, the child is more attracted to communication. He likes to listen to songs, fairy tales. He distinguishes the intonation of the voice, can consciously express emotions. In physical terms, a premature baby at 8 months completely catches up with full-term peers. He is developing rapidly, the baby can confidently sit, stand, crawl.
At 9 months, the baby already begins to talk, he pronounces syllables. Rejoices with familiar people, is interested in everything new.
At 10 months, the child walks confidently, holding on to the railing of the arena or crib. The kid knows his name, responds to it. Those born before 31 weeks may just start to erupt their first teeth.
At 11 months, the baby actively crawls, but more and more he likes to rise to his feet and stand on his own. He tries to take the first steps without support. At this age, he is very fond of moving toys and objects and can immerse himself in the game for a while, freeing his mother.
In a year, the physical development of a child is no different from the development of his full-term peers. But in psycho-emotional terms, he is not yet fully developed. The child can already walk with might and main, but the maturity of neuropsychic functions will fully return to normal only at 2-3 years. You should not be afraid of this, you just need to wait.

Remember that the development of a baby up to a year by months is approximate, accurate information will be provided to you by a therapist, orthopedist and neuropathologist, based on the individual characteristics of your child.

Nutrition. Try to keep breastfeeding as long as possible. Mother's milk is just a storehouse of essential protein and amino acids. If natural feeding is not possible, then when choosing a formula, be sure to consult a pediatrician. For premature babies, only special mixtures are suitable.

Complementary feeding is possible no earlier than 7 months, this is due to the immaturity of the digestive system. Feed the baby 10-20 times a day in small portions. Get a special scale for newborns, weigh your baby after each feeding. In preterm condition, every gram of weight is a big victory.

Clothes and diapers. The skin of a premature baby is very delicate and vulnerable. Buy things only from natural fabrics and with fasteners in the form of buttons. Premature babies are very tiny, so clothes and diapers for them should be the smallest sizes available in specialized stores.
Bathing. Avoid temperature fluctuations, protect the baby from injury. The water temperature should be at least 36 ºС, and the room temperature should be about 25 ºС. Keep an eye on the humidity of the air, the optimal value is 50-70%. After bathing, wrap your baby in a warm towel. Do not allow hypothermia, in the first month of life you will have to use heating pads.
Walks. If the baby was discharged from the hospital with a weight of 2000 grams or more, then in the summer you can safely walk in the park or forest. At first - no more than 10-15 minutes, then gradually increase the time of the walk. In winter, do not walk in the cold, especially if the baby has not yet gained weight of 3000 grams. Ventilate the room regularly, fresh air is a must.
Physical development by months. Pay special attention to the formation of physical skills. Of course, this process will not be quick, but massage and gymnastics will help speed it up. These procedures must be carried out by specialists. They know, for example, that a properly done massage will strengthen the right muscles, improve metabolism, prevent scoliosis and other problems with the skeletal system. As a result, the baby will begin to roll over, crawl, sit and walk in time.

Dear parents, if your baby was born prematurely, first of all, stop panicking. Take it for granted that there are premature babies, their development and future depend on the degree of prematurity, on the qualifications of the medical staff, and on many other factors, among which it is important to find a place for patience and hope for the best.