Do premature babies faces fill out?

10 replies

BristolBones · 30/06/2020 16:23

Just wondering if earlier babies will get the chubby cheeks etc of typical newborns? My son was early and has an older looking face than my other babies did. His features like his nose also seem bigger but is this just because his chub hasn't come yet? I think he's beautiful as he is, just wondered!

OP posts:

redjusplease · 30/06/2020 16:26

Dd had a VERY fat steroid face and jowls (!) for a long time - she was a 23 weeker and on high doses for ages. When she came off them, she shrunk back to very fine, pixie like features. She never had typical baby chub anywhere on her body. But I have friends with less-prem premmies who definitely did chub up. How early was yours?

fitzbilly · 30/06/2020 16:31

Both of my premies stayed fairly pixie like without the usual baby chub. They never got the fat belly or arms and legs we associate with babies either.

As toddlers they chunked out a little bit.

rayas · 30/06/2020 16:42

I think it depends on how early they are?

Mine both filled out by about 6 weeks and you couldn't tell they were preemies by about 4 months. Very chubby

Bobbybobbins · 30/06/2020 16:46

My DS chunked up by 6 weeks and looked more like a chubby newborn. He is slim now though!

Sunnydayshereatlast · 30/06/2020 16:47

Ds 5 was born at 35 weeks. Never had a roll sadly...

Rtmhwales · 30/06/2020 16:51

It comes down to the baby and their make up. Mine was born at 31 weeks, his face filled up a bit but he was always very thin. My friend had hers a few weeks later (35 weeks) and he chunked up almost immediately and is a huge chunky monkey. They both turned two this month.

ArnoldJRimmer · 30/06/2020 16:57

My 30 weeker DD never filled out and my full term DS never had rolls on his arms and legs like my nieces did, but he did have chubby cheeks. Both are (eventually in my DD's case) tall and slim like DH and I so not sure how much it's to do with prematurity or just genetics

user1493413286 · 03/07/2020 15:49

At about 4/5 months my 32 week baby did whereas I noticed with my full term second baby that happened a lot earlier

DominaShantotto · 23/08/2020 09:15

Looking at toddler photos of my 33 weeker - yep she did. She's still all arms and legs but that's her natural build - her dad's all legs as well.

ilovehalloumi · 23/08/2020 09:25

My 26 weeker never filled out as a baby or toddler she has more than made up for it now though

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