16 May 2018 | 3 min Read
Dr. Dipak Gandhi
Author | 1 Articles
If your baby is born before the 37th week of gestation, s/he is termed as a premature baby or a preemie. A normal pregnancy is of 40 weeks. A preemie baby has a higher risk of complications and the risks increase depending on how early your baby is born. Preemies need special care in the hospital as they are not fully equipped to deal with the world.
Premature babies have the same milestones as normal babies, but with a slight twist. You need to adjust developmental milestone timelines with their early birth. For e.g., for a baby who is 2 months premature and is now 4 months old, should not be expected to clear a 4 month old baby’s milestones; you should look at their 2 month milestones.
Many preemies catch up with their peers, but if your preemie has had some medical issues, you may need to be a little patient. The earlier your little one arrives, the more time s/he will need to reach his/her milestones, but most do get there with time.
2 months adjusted milestone:
4 months adjusted milestones:
6 months adjusted milestones:
9 months adjusted milestones:
12 months adjusted milestones:
15 months adjusted milestones:
18 months adjusted milestone:
Even after adjusting the milestones, remember that every baby is different. If your baby is not yet achieving these milestones, check if she is still within the range of achieving the specific milestones. If it’s well past the time range of normalcy, then you must consult a paediatrician ensure that everything is ok.
Also read: Weight Gain and Growth for Premature Babies: Facts You Must Know
Explore the entire collection of articles: Preemie Baby
A
Suggestions offered by doctors on BabyChakra are of advisory nature i.e., for educational and informational purposes only. Content posted on, created for, or compiled by BabyChakra is not intended or designed to replace your doctor's independent judgment about any symptom, condition, or the appropriateness or risks of a procedure or treatment for a given person.