how much does a baby have to weigh to be a preimie?

Question

How much does a baby have to weigh in order to be concidered a preimie? My sister was full term but her baby weighs only 5lb. 12oz. Also is it normal for a baby to hardly eat anything? a newborn.

Answer 1

A preemie is any baby born before 37 weeks gestion. It is normal for a new baby to not want to eat for the first few days. It is a big change for them and they now have to learn to do everything for themselves. They should be eating at least 1oz to 2oz every 3 hours. Any less then that call the doctor. If the baby is breastfeed, as long as they are having 6-8 wet diapers per day, they are getting enough to eat.

Answer 2

Many people have answered the premie question, which is that premie status is determined by gestation rather than weight. My oldest daughter was born at 42 weeks (due dates are calculated at 40 weeks, so she was two weeks "late") and weighed 9 lbs. 11 oz. My youngest was born at 37 weeks (which is still considered full term, but at the very front end - three weeks "early") and weighed 4 lbs. 15 oz. She was not a premie, though as she was breathing and eating fine. She went home with me two days after delivery and did wonderfully. (Although the transition from a newborn that is almost 10 pounds and one that is not even five pounds was a bit challenging to navigate in my mind).

As to normal newborn eating habits - this is very tough to answer without more info. If the baby is breastfed, it is probably eating more than you think. No one can diagnose over the internet, but generally as long as babies are peeing and pooping (your pediatrician can give you guidelines for exactly how many wet and dirty diapers to look for at each stage) and gaining weight along their curve, they are fine.

If you any of these things are a worry, the child's pediatrician is the first line of defense for determining if anything is wrong. I can't tell if you are asking about your own child or someone else's, but any concerns are appropriately addressed to the child's doctor.

Answer 3

Premature baby: A baby born before 37 weeks of gestation have passed. Historically, the definition of prematurity was 2500 grams (about 5 1/2 pounds) or less at birth. The current World Health Organization definition of prematurity is a baby born before 37 weeks of gestation, counting from the first day of the Last Menstrual Period (the LMP).

Answer 4

It does not go by weight. It depends on how early they are born. A baby born at 37 weeks may weigh as much as a 40 week baby, but their lungs are not always fully developed. My son was born at 29 weeks and weighed 2 lbs, 15oz, which was several oz bigger than other babies born at that time.

Answer 5

Premie is not determined by weight. A premature baby is a baby that is born before their estimated date by a significant amount. A newborn mainly wants to sleep but they will become more hungry when they become more active.

biha12

Answer 6

They dont really go on weight. They go by gestation and how well the baby is doing outside the womb. I have had two babies that were in the NICU. one was 6lbs and was 2 weeks early and the other was 3lbs and 8 weeks early.

Answer 7

I be a premmie that baby has to be born ( I beleive) two or more weeks early. The weight is not what matters, it is the legnth of pregnancy. Although premature babies tend to be small. Check out March of Dimes website for more info about premmies.

Answer 8

A premie is not by weight...it goes by the time that it was born....if it was before 35 weeks then I think this is what they call preterm labor. SO this would be a premie. Did your sister smoke while pregnant? This can cause low birth weight.

Answer 9

A premie is any baby born before week 37, not weight.

Answer 10

I think under 5 pounds and more than 3 weeks early.