When will my preemie catch upon weight and size ?

Most premature babies catch up in size within the first year of life. Your doctor will initially measure your baby using a growth chart specifically for preemies. However when your baby’s adjusted weight is about 10 weeks, the doctor will switch to the conventional chart used for full term babies. Most preemies usually move high the  growth curve in a matter of months.

A small percentage of preemies never fully catch up and remain smaller than average throughout life. In some cases there may be a clear medical reason why this happened such as child having a hard time getting enough nutrition in the early weeks because of illness or complications. This child is likely to remain on a lower growth curve.

Very premature babies may reman short even though they may catch up in weight in their early teens. However there is no clear reason why some preemies never catch up, whether its genetics or because of prematurity.

By the time  your child is 2 years, his size will indicate however he will be in adulthood. However it is also possible that a short child may just jump off the growth curve as he hits adolescence.

It is important not to force a small child to eat excessively to try to catch up on weight . This may lead to bad eating habits and health problems such as obesity , diabetes and heart diseases later in life.

You have to accept and encourage your child to love his stature  and let him know that its what makes him unique.