Preemie babies are born weeks and sometimes months ahead of their actual due dates, often before their nervous systems and little bodies have fully developed. As a result, they can fall behind full-term babies for a while after they arrive. That doesn’t mean that premature babies won’t develop into perfectly normal and healthy kids, but it does mean that their timelines can be a little different.| What to Expect
If you’re faced with the possibility of giving birth very early, you’re likely filled with questions and concerns about fetal viability.| What to Expect
First, the good news: Advances in medical care mean the outcomes for preterm babies have improved in recent decades, and even the smallest of premature babies have a greater chance of surviving and living healthy lives.| What to Expect
No one plans on having their newborn spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), but roughly 78 out of every 1,000 babies born in the U.S. each year stay in these specialized nurseries. Most of them are premature babies, as 1 in 10 newborns are born before 37 weeks in the U.S. So it’s worth learning about the place all preemies visit upon arrival. Here’s a quick guide to what you can expect while your baby is there. | What to Expect
Every time your doctor measures your fundal height (the distance from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus) beginning halfway through your pregnancy, they are estimating your baby’s size and weight.| What to Expect
Tired of explaining your preemie daughter’s size and age to passersby? Indeed, premature infants are smaller in terms of length and weight, but they do put on the ounces and pounds, just like their full-term peers. And keep in mind that the differences between on-time and premature babies are most pronounced in the first year, with the gaps generally closing by age 2 or 2 1/2.| What to Expect
As you watch your little one snooze (or listen in closely on the baby monitor), it’s easy to worry about every whine, whistle or wheeze you hear, and wonder whether or not it’s normal newborn breathing. Chances are, it is. Newborn breathing sounds very different than it does in older children. | What to Expect
If your newborn's beautiful skin has started turning a bit yellow, it could be jaundice. But your baby is in good company: Many infants experience this usually benign condition shortly after birth. Here are the basics on jaundice in newborn babies.| What to Expect
You wouldn’t be the first proud parent to believe that your baby knows just what she’s doing when she grasps your finger in her tiny hand. In fact, this gesture actually is one of several reflexes that babies are born with — but that shouldn’t make it any less remarkable (or adorable). | What to Expect
All babies come into this world with a set of reflexes to ensure that they survive and thrive. Sometimes it might be tough to figure out the point of some of these reflexes (the fencing reflex, for starters).| What to Expect
Babies are pretty darn smart right from the start. Healthy babies are born with basic motor responses, known as newborn reflexes, that help them survive and thrive in their brand new environment.| What to Expect
