Mumsnet Talk

DS2 born Jan 4 at 35+3 weighing 3lbs 5ozs due to IUGR. Had first check at hospital today and now 5lbs 10ozs and dr very pleased with him.

For some reason I'm deflated end upset. Had hoped for more weight - only six oz in nine days and i'd just fed him.

Also now really worryimg that he will always be tiny. is improvement on worrying if he will survive, I know, but can anyone reassure or prepare me on what to expect?

Hello- rushing but didn't want to read and run. My son was IUGR (27 weeks and 1lb 4oz). He's 18 months now and still off the charts small, as are a lot of the prem babies we know. I have been told he is likely to catch up but that it may not be soon. I try not to worry about it but just be proud of him for what he has achieved. Six oz in nine days is fab, but it's hard when you see how much others are putting on.

I love that my son is a little different, and that his clothes last him months. And I know he will probably catch up eventually. Come on over to the Bliss boards if you want to meet more mums of little ones.

Sorry for rambling. Hope things get easier for you. And congratulations! Your son has done so well x

They do catch up - Mine went from 4lb 5oz born at 35 weeks (9th centile) and went up to the 50th centile by the time he was 10 weeks old.

Your DS has put on over 2lb since he was born. That's more than half his birth weight - which is amazing.

long time ago now, but I had a 34 weeker weighing just 2lb 7oz. Not tiny but v small for dates. He's now 9 - not the tallest in his class, but not the shortest either. He is still very very skinny with knees wider than his thighs (!) but then he doesn't eat a huge amount The main thing is that he is full of energy and very active most of the time, although hecan tak a while to recover if he gets ill. Smart kid too.

Then I went and did it again at 31 weeks with my daughter, earlier but bigger at 3lbs 5. I remember looking at her in theatre and thinking " you're huge - you're going to be just fine" . Funny thing, perspective! Anyway, she is now 6 and physically just perfect - beautiful, petite but strong and funny.

Don't worry - you have years ahead of you and being small / slim / slighter shorter is not a big deal. BTW my brother was born in 1975 at 34 wks weighing just 2lbs and is now in the marines and is 6ft 2"..... who knows!

My dd was born at 35 and was 4lb 2. She is still really very small at 2yo, probably on 2nd or 9th centile. However my 3yo ds is also very small for his age. Other prem babies I know have caught up and overtaken full term babies. I think they catch up in their own time, but in terms of size and development it can take 1-2 years so don't fret with you little one.

My dd was born at 36 weeks and 4lbs and 4, she was induced due to olighydramnios and IUGR, and after her birth had severe hypoglycaemia. It took her a while to get on the charts, and she was on the bottom of the growth chart for her first year. I've not had her weighed since, but at 2.5 she is bigger than most of my friends' toddlers of the same age.

She was also late hitting developmental milestones for the first year and a half or so - to the extent that we were advised that she would need SALT and physio, and that she would be put on the waiting list. I don't know if she is still on the list, but we heard no more about it, and she has now caught up with her peers in every way.

However it has taken me this long to realise how traumatic the experience was for me, and how seriously it affected me. Since you are feeling deflated, despite the positive news, maybe consider asking if your hospital can arrange counselling for you. You've been through a lot.

Dd2 was 3'14oz at 38 weeks, is now 2.5 and has still never had any sort of growth spurt - she's way below any of the centiles. Developmentally she's fantastic, has always been advanced. We got a referral to Great Ormond St to look at growth hormone therapy but were refused it and it's to be looked at again when she's around 4.

I had a tiny one 14 years ago, she was born at 37 weeks weighing 4lb 7oz. Now she is 5' 8" and extremely healthy.

It took until she was about 4 or 5 for her to have completely caught up and begin to overtake her peers but we did have a lot of pediatric visits to do before then.
I was also worried when I was pregnant with my second child and had extra scans in case she was also going to have IUGR, however she was two weeks late and a whopping 11lb.

Mine was also born at 37 weeks weighing just 4lbs 10oz due to oligohydramnios and uteroplacental insufficiency. He put on weight quickly and by month 5 he was in the middle of the growth curve for weight and just below for height.

I was told there's a 50% chance of having an IUGR baby in a subsequent pregnancy. This theory hasn't been put to the test yet, but I hope when the time comes they're proven wrong

My ds was born at 42 weeks 5lb10, undiagnosed IUGR. He put on weight nicely but didn't catch up until he was 5 really. Now at 7 I would say he's very average height but still very skinny, but at least he's somewhere on the charts!

My IUGR baby was born at 38+5, 4lb 15. He's now 5.8 and is similar height to most of his classmates.

My DS was born at 28 weeks weighing just 2lb 12oz, he's now 8 month old and around 19lb!! He's caught up very quickly and really is a strapping lad - you'd never know he'd started off so tiny!