Now my premature baby has reached due date is he like a normal newborn?

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My baby was born 8 weeks early, when we left the nicu I was advised not to bathe him every night as he shouldn't be naked too much due to temp control. Does anyone know if this still stands now he has reached his due date and weighs 6lbs? I still worry about him getting cold when we go outside, and wrap him up quite a bit even on sunny days. Meant to ask HV but keep forgetting... Just want to know when he can be treated like a normal baby really?

Mine was also 8 weeks early, they don't advise you to bath every day anymore even if born at full term.

6lb is still quite small, I think at that weight I was still wrapping ds up well. He was probably about 4 months before he stopped sleeping constantly and was a good enough weight for us to stop worrying so much about him being prem.

He was slightly behind in hitting his mile stones for the first 10 months but is 16 months now and you wouldn't know he was so early

What do you mean by when can he be treated like a normal baby?

DS was 8 weeks early and I wasn't told not to bathe him every night

He was just under 6lbs at his due date

Hopefully somebody will be along with a definite answer for you.

Also, I'm sure you know, but temp control is not just about getting too cold, but also too hot. I usually dressed him for the weather but took loads of blankets with me so they were easy to take on and off (speaking as a woman that spent about 6 months with my hand down DS's back to check his temp)

You DS is a normal baby, jsut a very tiny lovely one :)

Maybe normal was the wrong word to use, I simply meant when will I stop worrying so much about every little thing and relax a little! I know the answer to this is probably never!

Yep, never :o

I relaxed a miniscule amount at DS's 1 year check, when the consultant said he was fine and wouldn't need to see him again. In the first 3 months we had a lot of hospital appointments for blood tests, heart murmur, weight checks etc etc

It all comes in degrees, don't worry. Soon he will be a 3 year old telling everyone about your toilet habits in Tescos :o

It does get easier the bigger they get. I think by 9lbs I stopped worrying so much about him being able to control his temp.

We were only in hospital for 10 days but 6 of those were waiting for him to beable to control his temp and come off the heat mat.

We didn't have any after care from the hospital though. We were discharged from the hospital after 10 days and that was it. We saw the hv 4 times in his first year including his 1 year check.

Agree, never!

I didn't take my DTs out anywhere busy for ages after they came home (31 weekers) and when I did, I put the rain covers on their buggy so they didn't breathe in any germs. Completley and utterly neurotic!! It was coming into winter though and I was paranoid about RSV. They're almost one now and they are so robust its difficult to remember the fragile little things they were.

I was told that everything in terms of development / growth etc for the first two years should be based on their corrected age, weaning on their actual.

With regard to bathing, we bathed once a week until about 20 weeks actual and then the milk grime under their necks became too gross so upped it to every other day.

My DD was 6 weeks early but tbh she was tiny but robust from the day she was born. I think, with it being summer (not that you'd know it but obv the temp is still very mild) I wouldn't worry too much about wrapping up in too many layers. I would stick to natural fabrics that you can easily take off if it gets too hot, and cotton cellular blankets are good. I would make sure feet are covered, my DD lived in sleepsuits for ages, I think they're more comfy than outfits at that age.

Six pounds is still tiny. My DDs were both early - the first only three weeks but the second eight weeks so I know how you feel. Good advice there about layering the covers. Did they show you how to check the baby's neck to see if they re too warm or cold?

And no new baby needs daily bathing I was always scared mines would slip out my hands when wet so only did it when DH was there to help they are both very robust now.

Honestly, give it a few years and you will look at the hospital tags and wonder how they ever got it round his ankles

I know it's worrying, but do try to relax and enjoy him too.