Feeding premature babies

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A premature baby may not grow at the same rate as a full-term newborn for as much as two years. They're generally smaller and often grow in spurts. Your baby's weight may be tracked on specially adapted growth charts, which will take this into account.

Premature babies also have two ages, their true age taken from birth, regardless of how early it was, and a 'corrected' age. A baby born 5 weeks early would, at 10 weeks, have a corrected age of 5 weeks. In terms of weight gain, he's comparable to a 5 week old full-term baby.

Slightly premature babies don't necessarily need any special food to help them catch up, but those who were very premature may be given a mixture of nutrients via a tube in their leg until their tummies are developed enough to be able to cope with milk. Research shows that a technique called 'kangaroo holding' helps premature babies gain weight better. It involves snuggling the baby inside mum, or dad's, shirt as if in a kangaroo pouch. Scientists believe that the warmth, smell, breathing and heartbeat of a parent can help them thrive.

In some cases, when a premature baby isn't gaining weight fast enough, the doctor may suggest giving him a special premature baby formula or adding special supplements to his usual milk. But it's usually more helpful to look at your baby to see whether or not you think he's developing as well as he should.

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