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PARENTING YOUR PREMATURE BABY |
| Things to Know After Discharge |
  Growth and Development
Will my baby have any long term health problems?
Try to discuss any concerns you may have with your doctor. Your doctor can tell you if there is reason to suspect that there is concern about your baby's health in the future.
Will my babies growth be affected by prematurity?
It is impossible to tell how your child will grow in the future. Your baby's doctor will be following your baby's height, weight, and head measurement at each visit. Most children who were born prematurely attain their "genetic potential" for growth; that is, their adult height and weight are similar to their brothers and sisters. However, some preemies continue to grow slowly and are small adults. Preemies whose chances are greatest for remaining small are:
- those who were <2 1/2 pounds at birth
- those who, at birth, were small for their number of weeks' of gestation
- those who were very sick for a long period of time
- those with consistently poor weight gain while in the nursery
Will my baby's development be appropriate?
Your baby's doctor will assess if your baby is developing appropriately.
It is important that you follow the schedule for all follow up appointments. Some nurseries have developmental follow up clinics to assess development.
Keep in mind that if your baby was born early that it is normal to see slower growth and development. Remember do not compare your 3-month old with your neighbor's 3-month old who was full-term at birth. For more information, see Fostering Development After Discharge and the section on Later Problems of Former Preemies.
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