Development
A preterm baby has two ages: her actual age and her corrected age. She could be an actual age of six months (that is, she was born six months ago), but when you subtract the lost gestational time, she is really only three months old -- her corrected age. This is a significant point. Parents of a premature baby have to measure her development by her corrected age, not her actual age, so they can set accurate milestones for her. Just because she may have been born eight months ago, you can't expect her to do what a regular eight-month-old does. After about two years, the child's age is measured by her birth date.
Slow development in a preterm baby is to be expected. There is some evidence to suggest that emotional warmth and stroking can help premature babies develop better. But if she isn't making any progress at all over a period of time, or if she seems unresponsive, talk about it with her doctor.
Feeding
If the premature baby is very small, feeding is a major concern. Preterm infants have to be fed every three hours to ensure weight gain. A daily weigh-in should yield a gain of about 1 to 2 per cent of her body weight daily. By the time she reaches the date she was originally expected, she should be approaching the weight of a full-term baby. Later on, premature babies may experience difficulties absorbing nutrients because of problems with their bowels. Premature babies all need to receive extra iron and vitamin supplements.
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