Page 54 - What to Expect

Going home

Most parents who have experienced a crying baby will tell you that it is a
nightmare at the time, but the baby does grow out of it.

Growth and development

When you leave the Unit with your baby you can ask the homecare team
for a growth chart which is especially designed for premature babies. You
can fill it in as you get updates on your baby’s weight, length and head
circumference. This can be stapled into the back of your Plunket book. Ask
your Plunket nurse to continue filling it in for you.
A premature baby will not reach developmental milestones at the same
time full-term babies do. Remember to always look at your own baby as an
individual. Try not to compare him to other babies of the same age, either
full-term or premature. No two people are the same. Even premature twins
can develop at different rates.
Generally, babies must complete the 40 week gestation period and then
after this time they will smile, sit, and crawl, usually in the same time frame
as a full term baby. In other words, parents with a baby born at 30 weeks
will have a wait of 10 weeks until the baby has reached his 40 weeks and
then they can begin to watch for a smile after another four to six weeks.
Some people cannot understand the normal delays that premature babies
have. You may have to remind your friends and relatives that your baby
arrived before his due date and so he is still catching up. Often a lot of
other things click with a baby at his due date, such as breast-feeding. Your
baby’s weight gains and growth on the Plunket chart look much better
when you remember to count back the number of weeks your baby was
early. This usually puts the growth in the blue band instead of way below it.
Your baby’s paediatrician, the neonatal homecare nurse and the neuro-
developmental therapist are the experts in the growth and development
of a pre-term baby. Don’t be shy to ask questions at your next
appointment.

Stimulating your baby or introducing new activities has to be done
slowly, one thing at a time, just as when baby was in the Unit. Watch for
the distress signals like looking away, fussing, crying, arching his back,
hiccupping, non-feeding related vomiting, or stiffening arms and legs.

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