Anybody had a baby this small

[rascal1979]

My LO was 983g (2lb 1oz) at birth when she was botn 9 weeks early with IUGR.

She is now 16 weeks old and is still only 5lb 12oz.

Im just gerring really concerned cos she is still so small. Peads are a little concerned but not overly so long as she follws a centile line which she is kind of - below the 0.4th.

She is healthy and alert and puts on between 3-4oz a week - once put on 5oz. She is exclusively breast fed.

It just gets me down that she is still so small and will robably only be 8-9lb at 6mths old.

Has anyone's LO been this small or is this relaly unusual? Could there be developmental issues with her size being so small? I;m see ing her paed on 1 May but need some support and reassurance now - HV is a bit crap.

Rascal...I jsut checked my little red book....DTD2 was 9lb6oz at 24wks, DTD1 was 9lb12oz.

So its official, 9lb at 6m isn't bad cos they are perfectly fit and healthy 7yrs later.

P.S. she was bottle fed from 3m too so would be expected to be a bit bigger than your DD.

Please stop worrying and think about the fact that she will wear her clothes out before she grows out of them.

My DD was 1lb 10oz at birth - emergency section at 28 weeks due to pre-eclampsia and had IUGR - only weighed the equiv. of a 25 weeker.

She spent 12 weeks in SCBU and actually came home on her due date, still only weighing 4lb 2oz!

She's 22 months now and a proper little madam. Chatters away constantly and is such a happy and bright little soul.

From a development point of view, she is doing just great. Was quite a late walker....only in the last 6 weeks....but she was a bum shuffler and aparrantly they always walk later anyway (so may have nothing to do with her being prem at all).

Size wise , she has always followed the same centile line so there isn't an issue. You wouldn't know to look at her that she was ever prem. Some clothes are still 12-18 months but some are 18-24 months - it really depends where they come from so I wouldn't focus on it too much.

I never thought we'd get to this point, but we have and your LO will too. It's such a stressful time but I guarantee you will look back and wonder why you worried so much. Girls are such fighters and I'm sure your DD will do just fine.

Good luck x

Hi Rascal

I think I have replied to you before on a different thread> my DD was 3lbs 14 at 36 weks due IUGR, so although bigger than your DD i have been looking at her red book as her weight if you take into assount correct age was quite similar and we trailed along on our own line below the 0.4th centile until about 6 months. If I have worked it out correctly your LO is now 7 weeks corrected? At around the same age my DD weighed 6lb 8oz which I know is a bit bigger but by then we had been persuaded to add one bottle of formula (BF rest of the time). I think it sounds like your DD is doing great, well done for sticking to your guns. she is putting on weight at a consistent pace and that is the important thing. My DD is now a very active 2 yr old and I think has probably caught up with her peers. I spent a great deal of time feeling very stressed about her weight and as the OP said in a couple of years you will look back on this time and wonder reminise about your gorgeous little baby (as I do when my monster angel is rampaging round refusing to take off charlie and lola PJ's and get dressed for nursery )

PS no effect on her development, if anything I think she found it easier to move round than some of her peers being smaller

Good friend had triplets born at 24 weeks, the each weighed less that 2 kg, they are now 2.5 years old they were slow to start with but they seem no different in height or stature to other children their age. (couple of minor eye problems but nothing major)

I'm going to say what I always say to you, it sounds fine, perfectly normal don't worry about it

OK, I know it's not that easy to not worry and it's only as Tink's gotten older I've been able to come to this conclusion. When you have a premature baby you are under the scope a lot, first at the hospital and then when you come home. You get to feel slightly smothered with attention and at the same time you end up worrying because of it. There is a lot of things that if I could go back I would ignore the professionals on, I hope that my new job will give me that support if things happen again.

If you ever need someone to talk to you have my email address and I think I sent you my card if you ever want a real chat.

PS stop comparing your daughter to other LO's! Babies will vary dramatically when they're not premature ours completely do their own thing!

Thanks Tinkerbelle - how are you? Not seen you around on here for a while!

I'm a little less stressed today because Babyrascal put on a massive 8oz last week and was 6lb 4oz when she was weighed yesterday. She is also on the 0.4th centile for length after growing 3cm since mid March and and just ABOVE the 0.4th centile on head size. Still under on weight but is going up and following the line steadily.

I'm nipping into NICU today to show her off with an other ex-Nicu mum and her DS.

No problems, we'll make a laid back "la la la" in one ear and out the other mum of you yet!

It sounds like you are both doing really well, you need to sit back sometimes and remember that. Even when a baby is not gaining weight you have to remember that when they are not losing weight they are working hard to maintain it. Maybe we need a thread "tell me I'm doing well"

I'm good, my other half is on secondment in Croydon at the moment so I'm on my own and dropped down the amount of forum time I have all round. Had a really bad week last week though, got tonsilitis and a chest infection, I was so ill I had to move back in with my parents for a week. Tink was a star though, she let my parents look after her and do everything for her, she even played with my sister which is really unusual! Now I've just got asthma which normally leaves me alone

My smallest twin had IUGR. She managed to hang in there till they delivered at 29 weeks at just over 2lbs.

I was obsessed with her weight for the first year and wish I hadn't been so worried. Being small hasn't affected her cognitive development at all, despite being below the bottom centile on the all charts.

Well done for exclusively breastfeeding, I know how hard this is with a prem. Try not to get too hung up about it, as long as she follows the same line then there is nothing to worry about. It's worth getting all the advice you can from the hospital paeds and their nutritionist. When I stopped breastfeeding my DD was prescribed a high-cal formula and when we weaned her they prescribed an additive to mix into her food to bump up the cals.

It is actually rather lovely having a petite little girl. People always seem blown away that she can do so much as at age 2 she looks too small to even walk! I love her to bits the way she is - she is a bright and very determined little person.

Enjoy your little lady and try not to worry!

DS is now 22 months and the size of a 13-month-old. He was 1 lb 9 oz at birth!

I am living in the Netehrlands, and i am pregnant. Has any one given birth in the Netherlands and any advice? i had my first baby in UK thanks very much

i had a prem baby he is now 7 next month and barely touches 2 stone he is so small and skinny but very fit and happy
as long as baby is thriving its ok a little bit each week is better than weight loss

My cousins DD was born at about 31 weeks and about the birthweight of yours. She was also small for dates. Her head was the size of a peach! She's now 3.5 yo and absolutely fine except for tendency to lung problems but nothing too serious.

If your DD is eating well and gaining, no matter how little, I think you are both doing really well. Fantastic that you managed to bfeed her after such a hard start too.

Looked at your profile pics and she is lovely and looks really well.

P.S. Derja - try starting a new thread in the 'Living overseas' topic.