Are underweight babies any different from normal babies? Is it true that even after they have added on weight they are still more prone to common ailments as opposed to normal babies?
Are underweight babies any different from normal babies? Is it true that even after they have added on weight they are still more prone to common ailments as opposed to normal babies?
Not as far a I know based on 10 years experience in a maternity unit. But it does depend why ther are underweight - and what you mean by underweight
If a baby is premature then they can have ongoing issues NOT solved by putitng on weight and growing.
However 'underweight' is a rather misleading ter, There is a normal range of weight for babies of differering ages. Babies that are under the 10th percentile for weight right on the lower limit of what is normal. They wegih much less than other babies but normally catch up ok,
Not as far a I know based on 10 years experience in a maternity unit. But it does depend why ther are underweight - and what you mean by underweight
If a baby is premature then they can have ongoing issues NOT solved by putitng on weight and growing.
However 'underweight' is a rather misleading ter, There is a normal range of weight for babies of differering ages. Babies that are under the 10th percentile for weight right on the lower limit of what is normal. They wegih much less than other babies but normally catch up ok,
Well, I met this baby who was born full term weighing 1.9kg, progressed to 3.8kgs at six weeks old then 4.9kgs at 10weeks. Then when she was 12 weeks she caught a very bad cold after taking a bath and the nurse at the hospital advised that she should never be immersed in water when taking a bath, instead she should be given a sponge bath. The reason being that babies born underweight are more likely to pick up colds and stuff as compared to other babies.
Well, I met this baby who was born full term weighing 1.9kg, progressed to 3.8kgs at six weeks old then 4.9kgs at 10weeks. Then when she was 12 weeks she caught a very bad cold after taking a bath and the nurse at the hospital advised that she should never be immersed in water when taking a bath, instead she should be given a sponge bath. The reason being that babies born underweight are more likely to pick up colds and stuff as compared to other babies.
That assumes that immersion in water can cause a cold - and it can't.
I would be the first to admit I have been out of obstetrics for nearly 4 years and new evidence may have emerged. BUT a babies immunity is much more to do with immunity they pick up from Mum either in the womb or through breast feeding. Babies have very bad immunity because they haven't been exposed to much. Its nothing to do with weight as far as I am aware.
Nurses and midwives CAN be wrong. I know when I was working with them some of them had some very strange - and totally incorrect ideas!
But I repeat there may be new evidence of which I am unaware