Late preterm baby care

Aww I was the same way with my daughter who is almost 2 now lol it’ll get better very soon. She would sleep all day & night I was terrified she wasn’t going to eat enough until she started to eat a whole lot lol the first month was difficult but after that they start to get alil energy and began to do much more

My baby is six weeks now, but was born at 38 weeks. He was 7.9 pounds, so not tiny, but still seems small now! He literally just slept for the first 3 weeks, I could barely wake him and it had me so worried. As long as he’s feeding while sleeping try not to worry it is all normal xxx

Hi babe how much did he weigh at birth? My little girl was born a few weeks early but had stopped growing in the womb so was born small and classed as prem as she was under 5lb 6oz - she was 5lb 5oz .

We were also kept in a week and had severe jaundice but once home I can honestly tell you I pretty much did what you're doing. She slept all the time but I would jus continue to wake her for feeds and just try to get as much down her without forcing it and after the first month everything got a lot easier. The first few weeks are hard for us all but i promise you're doing everything right and things will get better soon when you gain more confidence in yourself as a mummy xxx

Congratulations and happy new year xx

Msg me if you need to 😘

Hey new momma! Congratulations! It's overwhelming 🫂

Your newborn needs so little food right now. It's ok but do keep track of diapers until the pediatrician says it's no longer needed. Our pediatrician had us follow an aggressive wake to feed every 2-3 hours. They need so much sleep at this point so other than waking to eat, burp, change diaper, let your baby sleep.

Also, your baby was born pre-term so definitely keep in mind the adjusted age.

It gets so much better ❤️

This little one is sooooo sweet oh my goodness! Giving me baby fever ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Newborns have such tiny stomachs, they need a lot less than you’d think! As long as he’s having the right amount of wet and dirty nappies then he’s fine xx

He’ll only take 1-2 oz per feed for the first few weeks as his tummy is teeny, so don’t worry too much. Also if he was prem he’ll be even smaller. As long as he has plenty of wet and dirty nappies each day he’s getting enough. Re the sleeping, he’s gone through the trauma of being born like you have, so they’re really sleepy at first. Make the most of it though, it won’t last forever! x

Put a tshirt you have Worn in the cot with them at night. Your smell will soothe them enough to think youre with them x

My baby wasn’t prem, but she was born small weighing 5lb 3.5oz, we also had a weeks hospital stay after birth due to the exact same reasons as you!
Honestly, I feel like I could’ve written what you have just posted. I won’t lie, I hated the newborn stage as I was SO anxious, made worse by the fact she was so small and a nightmare to feed. My partner was pretty laid back so when she stopped drinking a bottle would leave it, whereas I’d be like “no, she needs to drink it, make her drink it” etc. Now I look back and realise she would drink what she wanted and needed, and when I realised that and became a bit more laid back I found she was so much less sicky too. I think as long as he’s gaining weight (HV will keep an eye on that, we had her weighed a regularly to begin with) and plenty of wet nappies you will find he does gradually up his feeds. Or try little and often, my little girl was defo a snacker to begin with, would drink an ounce then half hour later drink another couple.

My little one was born at 37 weeks. He weighed 5lb3oz. Spent 2 days in special care for jaundice, sepsis and low blood sugar.
I was advised to feed every 3 hours but if he was really sleepy 4 hours was fine but to not go any longer than that. And like chloe advised I would change his nappy before his feed to wake him up. They also showed me how to feed him with him facing me on my lap. It helped reduce colic as well. I can't think if it had a special name.
Anyways he's 6 months now and you would honestly have no idea that he had such a rough start. So you got this I promise x

Such a cutie. Don't be to hard on urself u sound like Ur doing amazing. Maybe to try wake him up I did this with my son as he just wouldn't wake for feeds in first few weeks I gently stroked his cheeks with back of my something to do with situmlting their cheeks makes them want to feed. Also I wouldn't worry bout thinking it's not enough , his tummy will be so tiny so realistically that's all he can fit in xx

What is his adjusted age? Newborns usually sleep a lot when they first arrive home. So if he’s adjusted 40 weeks expect him to be sleeping a lot and eating 2-3 hours

Oh my goodness thankyou all so much your comments have really helped me to feel better about the whole situation 🥰🥰 so glad I posted on here xx

Hi! We had a horrible experience with jaundice, my son nearly had to have blood transfusion but thankfully was able to just get phototherapy from the hospital. We were discharged after four days as his levels went down. I suffer from the experience, but am working through it! Feel free to text me if you like 0277565339. When the jaundice levels went down, he was more alert. I had to force feed him pretty much too. It was horrible.

Hi I haven't read all the comments above so could be repeating stuff but just to say my LG was born by c section at 37+5 weighing 5lb3oz, she slept LOADS&literally ate 1-2 ounces if that in the 1st few weeks, she's now 7&a half months&was weighed about 5 weeks ago&was 11 something so still not huge, she's in 3-6 months clothes&still only takes between 4 to 6 ounces but she's absolutely fine! They all get there in their own time x

My son was born at 36 weeks. He was breastfed though so I never knew how much he was taking. I was always advised to check the diaper output to know if he was getting enough. As far as easier...I mean. Maybe once you relax more
I think for me that happened when I took him to the doctor and he was gaining weight. I mean your kid sleeping a lot is a blessing. Every kid is different and even though mine was born early, he basically was like a full term baby. He loved to be awake though and still does lol he's a big ol boy now at 19 months. Don't worry, mama. You are doing great. Try to relax. This is hard I know but when you ask when things get easier I honestly don't know if they ever do.

Hey mama, my LO was late preterm as well (36weeks 2days. ) we also had our battle with low blood sugar and jaundice. Thankfully we didn’t have to stay a week but we did have to use the bright light hospital blanket for his jaundice. Our little guy was the same- we rarely saw his eyes that first week or two. He ate while sleeping and we set a time to feed him every 2-3 hours even during the night. He ate maybe 1oz to 1.5 oz. I can say it will pass. He is now 2MO and double his birth weight and loves to eat! He eats 4oz sometimes 5oz. I’d say we noticed more alertness around 2.5-3 weeks. He started waking up himself to eat every 2-3 hours and had his eyes open to see us! ☺️

My daughter was born at 31 weeks. Everything you are saying is completely normal. Especially for a 1 week preemie. Keep your chin up momma. My daughter is now 18 months. We have gone to alot of specialist of therapist but she is doing amazing. My daughter took mil. Not ounces in the beginning. Do what you can. His stomach will eventually stretch and be able to drink more and you'll be wish he slept more too. Feel free to message me ANYTIME.

My LO was born at 36 weeks and we were in for a week as he had jaundice and he weighed 6lb 3oz when we left hospital.
We kept him in the window for large parts of the day for ‘daylight’ and fed him every 2hrs. We would have to wake him to feed too.
He slept a lot for the first few weeks and this is normal - they do sleep for about 16-18 hours anyway and I was constantly worrying but then as he was producing wees and gaining weight I started to relax.

Don’t worry, things will change up soon :) Taking his adjusted age into consideration, as others have mentioned, will help! And also don’t worry about him being a premie… they catch up. I like to think of them as strong little warriors. My son was born at 34+2 weeks. He’s been developing normally and wonderfully. He’s 2 years old now 😊

My baby boy was the same, born at 35 weeks, bad jaundice. Xxx

My daughter is the same way. Her jaundice level was a bit high as well , but her doctor says as long as she's eating, pooping, and peeing the jaundice will be out of her system soon. The first couple of days she would not open her eyes and would sleep all day and slightly wake up at night. That's cause she has her days and nights mixed. Now I make sure to have natural light hit her face so she can open her eyes more.

Baby’s stomach is very tiny. I wish I saved a table from the hospital book that tells you how much a baby should eat by week. Maybe look it up online . I’m sure u will find something. The first 6 months are the hardest.

Ah he is so cute. My son was born at 36 weeks at 5lb 7. He was also in hospital for week, I like you was so worried the first couple of weeks. My little boy slept lots as well and took small amounts of milk but was advised by midwifes this was completely normal.
As long as he is feeding, gaining weight and regularly going to the toilet he is doing well.
My little boy is now nearly 6 weeks old and is so much more alter. He is also taking 3/4 ounces and waking himself up for feeds. Things will change. Just keep reminding yourself he should not even be born yet, so his progress will be slow at first. Enjoy the time with him, especially the cuddles

If your baby’s weight is low you can feed him or her with Semilac Neosure formula for premature babies. It’s expensive but has more calories.

Hi Alice!
Congratulations, he’s a beautiful little boy! I had my daughter at 36 weeks and she spent 2 weeks in the NICU due to high jaundice levels and low blood sugars. We had a lot of struggles with getting her feeding and one of the problems that goes along with jaundice is it can make them very tired so she lost a lot of weight due to not getting enough food and ended up on a feeding tube for 5 days. Feels like I wrote this myself! She would sleep all day so I would just wake her every two hours and try and give her as much as she would take even if it was like 2oz of milk. We kept at it until she was putting on weight and she started being more alert through the day but it did take her quite a few weeks. She’s had no problems since leaving the hospital and is now 18 months old.😊
You’re doing what you can & doing a great job. Keep up with feeding as often as you can & baby will come more awake as all the jaundice is flushed out their system & as they get a few weeks older! x

My baby was born at 35 weeks for the first few weeks he slept most of the day I had to wake him every 2-3 hours to feed even if he was asleep sometimes I had to take his wipe and give him a little pat on his cheek with it and he woke up. After he started gaining his weight it got really easier.
He wasn’t too delicate he started playing and everything wake his own self up for his feed every 2/3 hours.
But for the first part he will be sleeping most of his days out.
He had jaundice too and because I was exclusively breastfeeding it two like 3 weeks to clear up.
He’s four months now has 16 pounds and he was 4.8 when he was born.
It’ll will get easier you got this 😍🥺
As for the feeding I’m not sure how much he gets because he was exclusively breastfeeding up until 4 months due to where my supply started decreasing. as long as your having enough wet diapers that’s means he’s getting enough.

No advice from me! Just wanted to say you’re doing a great job! Hang in there, Mamma! You’ll hone your instincts and it’ll get easier and you’ll have less anxiety. ❤️

Sounds all ok! Call public health nurse if still uneasy. You are doing well mama!

Babies, once they're eating the full amount, take 24-36oz of breast milk a day. They ramp up to that amount over the first weeks.

Here is the information from the AAP. I'd ask your pediatrician what to expect because yours was a bit premature.

Most newborns eat every 2 to 3 hours, or 8 to 12 times every 24 hours. Babies might only take in half ounce per feeding for the first day or two of life, but after that will usually drink 1 to 2 ounces at each feeding. This amount increases to 2 to 3 ounces by 2 weeks of age.

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/How-Often-and-How-Much-Should-Your-Baby-Eat.aspx

My first baby was born at 36 weeks. I had to wake him up every 3 hours for a feed and had to constantly keep waking him while he was feeding. I wanted to breastfeed so badly, but the warmth of my body would make him sleep, so I pumped and bottle fed him. You just have to keep trying to feed every 3 hours. They don’t consume too much in the beginning. Your pediatrician should be able to let you know if the weight gain is appropriate. It’s sooo rough with premies, hang in there.

Being premature I would think that his stomach may be smaller then a full term baby, and I full term newborn baby has the stomach the size of a marble.
I'd probably try and feed 1oz every two hours x
Change his nappy to wake him up for feeds, and wind every 5 minutes during the feed if he keeps falling asleep.
Hes beautiful 😍 congratulations xx

My son was born at 35 weeks as well and only 4 lbs 9 oz - we had to wake him every 2 hours to feed. Use an app or keep a notebook to track diapers and feedings (we use the Hatch baby app), as long as he has at least 6 wet diapers he’s getting enough. 1-2 oz at a week old is normal, soon his stomach will grow and he’ll be able to take more. The first week it was so hard to get my son up to feed but after that he was awake a lot more and hungry basically all the time lol.

We were full term 38 weeks. I could not get her to stay awake to feed. She was jaundice. I had to strip her down to nothing but diaper. Change her try to feed her. Then when she fell asleep I had to reposition and tickle feet etc.
you got this! Also through many hospital stays for breathing something I’ve learned is when in doubt it can’t hurt to get baby checked. If you feel like something is wrong go have a chat with the dr or if it’s bad head to the er.
Your doing amazing!

My daughter was born at 36 weeks and she did the same thing. We were told by nurses and paediatrician this is normal for preemies due to small stomach and normally they are still sleeping in the womb to grow more. If you strip him down to just his diaper (change that first) then feed him it might keep him awake more. Also if you brush his cheek with your hand to wake him while eating. My girl got better after a few weeks. She’s now 2.5yrs and healthy. Try not to worry mama you doing a great job!!

Hello! I had to premature babies. Don't worry mommy, that's completely normal. Yes, you should keep waking him so he can eat. My NICU nurse would help me waking up my baby by removing her onsie. She said if my baby felt cold she will wake up. When I got home I did the same. Fed her every 3 hours and she slept most of the time.

We had our little boy early too, before 37 weeks, we also had to stay in hospital for a week due to jaundice & my BP. At first he was sleepy but now he’s 10 months & perfect.
Try changing his nappy during feeds to keep him awake, rub his cheek.
Just takes time but you’re doing a fab job, he looks healthy & super cute 🥰

My son was born at 33 weeks. He mostly slept all day for weeks, He didn't eat much either when he was awake. He spent a month in the NICU so they had an tube going thru his nose down to his stomach for feedings so they could basically force him to eat even if he was asleep. When we got home I just fed when he gave hunger cues, whatever he ate is what he ate, however often he wanted. His pediatrician never had a problem with it and his weight was always fine. Just watch your baby for cues and eventually he will start eating more and being awake more.

This is totally normal! The jaundice makes them tired. My baby was born at 37 weeks and we was in hospital for 6 days with her jaundice and she was constantly asleep on the phototherapy.. she’s now 7 weeks and thriving and very alert!! Hang in there babe, message if you need a chat xxx

Fed every 3 hours , belly is smaller so don’t worry he he doesn’t take as much as you want him to . Make sure nappies are WET!! Contact health visitor if you are getting dry nappies .
This is normal for little babies , believe you are going to miss this when they start running around

Also had my baby early , also had issues with terrible jaundice and feeding.
As you can see from the mothers here and myself, totally normal 💕
I remember being so anxious and worried and I truly hope you hear me when I say this love,
Babies are resilient, They are stronger than we will ever know. Ask any of these mothers here on this thread who have watched their baby thrive just fine with patience , nourishment, and love.
Their little bodies know what to do and are amazingly innate.
Of course wake to feed, always offer feedings but their stomach is so tiny in the first weeks that they don’t actually need that much. You judge their input by output. Be concerned if they do not have wet diapers. Skin to skin is crucial when they are early also. I didn’t forcefully feed my baby ever it didn’t feel right. She would definitely let me know when she was hungry. Follow your intuition, mama knows best and is the guiding light ✨ baby needs mama strong and confident so he can be too 🤗

We were premature and ate 2 oz up until due date. He then started showing signs of increased hunger. We were doing every 3 hours like hospital but I noticed he was getting hard to wake up and eat and I started letting him tell me. We are now eating 4-6 hours anywhere from 3-5 hours letting him decide when he’s ready.

I had my little one at 34 weeks and was also in NICU, because they are so small I was only feeding tiny amounts also.
When he was born and in the hospital it was as little as 40ml every 3 hours.
I worried so much but doctors and health visitors always told me that a baby will let you know if they are hungry & boy as soon as his jaundice went and he grew that bit more he starting waking for longer and needing more. He will let you know :)

Dont worry mama, this is perfectly normal for babies born premature. My little one was born at 28 weeks and after a lengthy NICU stay would sleep so much. I was constantly worried she was not eating enough or gaining enough weight. We used to wake her for feeds by removing her onesie or running a baby wipe over her feet. 🙈 She would take a little and fall asleep while drinking her bottle.

I know its stressful but it is normal. Just keep a little eye on babies weight and you'll relax a little. Talk with your doc about organising weekly weight checks until your mind is at ease.

Also premature babies sleep A LOT. They have a little more growing to do and it takes a lot of energy. X

You’re doing fine! Tummy can only hold that much at first

When my son was a newborn I had such a hard time waking him up and keeping him awake to feed him. It really freaked me out when it was so hard to wake him up. Eventually we switched to pumping and giving him bottles most of the time. It's less work for the baby, so they can sometimes finish a bottle even when they're too sleepy to nurse. Once he was 1.5 months he was more alert and we switched back to nursing with no problems.

That is normal with new borns I woundnt worry much unless he goes more then like 5-6 hrs I had all my kids have daylike that

Our baby was jaundice and I felt sooo much pressure trying to make sure he got enough food!
Try feed as regularly as you can but try not to put too much pressure on it (easier said than done I know) just remember a baby will never starve themselves!
Try not to worry too much he’ll get there, he’s still so small 💖

My boy had jaundice and ended up back in hospital with high sodium levels because he wasn’t drinking enough. Jaundice makes them very tired, so don’t worry about that. Also I was told to feed him 60ml every 3 hours. ( 2 ounces) So just keep waking him. Eventually he’ll start weeing the bilirubin out (jaundice) and waking more often.

Also bare in mind babies can sleep up 17hours per day (growing is also very tiring ).

So keep going. Your doing great. I know how it feels. I used to constantly worry my boy was sleeping too much. Now he’s a big chunk, who loves a chat. X

Very normal! My twins were born at 34+6 and were the very same!