When Your Baby is Premature or Low Birth Weight
Birth Weight
We know you want to do everything you can to help your baby grow and develop. Like all other babies, your baby knows when and how much to eat. Like all other mothers, you need to learn when baby is hungry and full.
Your Baby Will Feed Often
At first, some babies may just take an ounce or two at a time and feed every hour or two. Your baby may feed often, too. This can make you very tired. Ask friends or relatives to help you. Don’t be shy!
Think clean! Your baby cannot fight germs very well yet!
- Wash your hands before you pick baby up.
- Wash your hands after you change baby.
- Keep bottles and nipples especially clean.
- Keep baby away from people with colds.
- Keep baby home except for medical visits. (Wait awhile before showing baby off!)
Breast Milk or Formula Only!
Do NOT add cereal early. Your baby gains weight much better on breast milk or formula than on cereal. This is because formula has more calories and nutrients than cereal, ounce for ounce. Do NOT add cereal to the bottle!
There is also a bigger chance that your baby may have problems with allergies later on in life if cereal is given too early.
You will know when your baby is ready for cereal when she does these things:
- Can sit up with support.
- Can hold his or her head steady.
- Reaches for things and can hold them.
- Watches food, waits with an open mouth for food, then closes mouth over food.
- Takes cereal off of a spoon and can swallow easily.
This page last updated on 6/21/07.