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Does Massage Therapy Promote Weight Gain In Preterm Infants?
Question: we were blessed with a baby girl on 23rd October 2016. Baby born in 28 weeks & 6 days gestation. Birth weight of the baby was 1.06kgs. The baby was in NICU for 5 weeks.
Other details of the baby are as follows:
Discharge Date = 25 Nov 2016
Weight on Discharge Date = 1.1kgs.
Weight of Baby today (12 Dec) = 1.25kgs.
As of now we are ensuring 20ml feed (through bottle) every 3 hrs.(160 ml per day)
Out of 8 feeds in a day 2 feeds are from formula milk (Pre Nan) & 6 feeds are from mother milk. (As unable to give all the feeds from mother milk)
Below are my queries:
1) Is the weight gain is OK ?
2) When the baby will be able to suck milk directly from mother ?
3) When it is suggested to start vaccination for this case ?
4) When can we start massage to the baby.
5) As of now we are wiping the with lukewarm water, when can we start bath for her ?
Other details of the baby are as follows:
Discharge Date = 25 Nov 2016
Weight on Discharge Date = 1.1kgs.
Weight of Baby today (12 Dec) = 1.25kgs.
As of now we are ensuring 20ml feed (through bottle) every 3 hrs.(160 ml per day)
Out of 8 feeds in a day 2 feeds are from formula milk (Pre Nan) & 6 feeds are from mother milk. (As unable to give all the feeds from mother milk)
Below are my queries:
1) Is the weight gain is OK ?
2) When the baby will be able to suck milk directly from mother ?
3) When it is suggested to start vaccination for this case ?
4) When can we start massage to the baby.
5) As of now we are wiping the with lukewarm water, when can we start bath for her ?
Brief Answer:
Suggestions on pre-term baby's weight gain
Detailed Answer:
Hi....I understand your concern...I have gone through the details thoroughly.
Coming to your queries -
1. Usually Babies born at term and with normal birth weight should be gaining 25grams per day. But your baby was born pre-term and with a low birth weight. Currently since discharge it is 17 days and she has gained 150 grams in total and that is 8.82 grams per day.
Your baby born at 28 weeks and 6 days was small for gestational age. This practically means that the baby's weight gain will be slower than normal and the baby might be I underweight till 2 years of age, after which we can expect a catch-up growth. Meanwhile we need to follow up the development of the baby which is more important than weight gain.
So Even though the baby's weight gain is low, if she's developmentally normal then you can be happy, that she's doing excellently well.
2. Even now you can try putting her to breastfeeding directly, but she will be able to do it well after she's 2 kg.
3. Current thinking about vaccines is that the baby should start getting vaccinated when she's 45 days old chronologically, that is 45 days from date of birth.
4. Massage can be started Even now with baby oil as it will be like an exercise and stimulating for the baby.
5. You may start bathing her in like warm water after she's 2kg.
Hope this helps. You can get back to me if there's any further question. I will be happy to help.
Regards - Dr. Sumanth
Suggestions on pre-term baby's weight gain
Detailed Answer:
Hi....I understand your concern...I have gone through the details thoroughly.
Coming to your queries -
1. Usually Babies born at term and with normal birth weight should be gaining 25grams per day. But your baby was born pre-term and with a low birth weight. Currently since discharge it is 17 days and she has gained 150 grams in total and that is 8.82 grams per day.
Your baby born at 28 weeks and 6 days was small for gestational age. This practically means that the baby's weight gain will be slower than normal and the baby might be I underweight till 2 years of age, after which we can expect a catch-up growth. Meanwhile we need to follow up the development of the baby which is more important than weight gain.
So Even though the baby's weight gain is low, if she's developmentally normal then you can be happy, that she's doing excellently well.
2. Even now you can try putting her to breastfeeding directly, but she will be able to do it well after she's 2 kg.
3. Current thinking about vaccines is that the baby should start getting vaccinated when she's 45 days old chronologically, that is 45 days from date of birth.
4. Massage can be started Even now with baby oil as it will be like an exercise and stimulating for the baby.
5. You may start bathing her in like warm water after she's 2kg.
Hope this helps. You can get back to me if there's any further question. I will be happy to help.
Regards - Dr. Sumanth
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Point no. 3 on vaccination that you have mentioned:
3. Current thinking about vaccines is that the baby should start getting vaccinated when she's 45 days old chronologically, that is 45 days from date of birth.
As today is 52nd day after her birth with weight of around 1.3kg. can we start the vaccination immediately ?
3. Current thinking about vaccines is that the baby should start getting vaccinated when she's 45 days old chronologically, that is 45 days from date of birth.
As today is 52nd day after her birth with weight of around 1.3kg. can we start the vaccination immediately ?
Brief Answer:
Yes, I suggest you start the vaccination today itself
Detailed Answer:
Hi....I suggest you start the vaccination today itself.
Do not worry about the current weight of the baby.
The vaccine preventable diseases are much more dreadful.
Prevention is better than cure.
Regards - Dr. Sumanth
Yes, I suggest you start the vaccination today itself
Detailed Answer:
Hi....I suggest you start the vaccination today itself.
Do not worry about the current weight of the baby.
The vaccine preventable diseases are much more dreadful.
Prevention is better than cure.
Regards - Dr. Sumanth
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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