Patient's question:
My baby was born via cesarean section at 34 weeks due to low amniotic fluid. She stayed in the pediatric hospital for 8 days and was discharged in good health. At home, I have been exclusively breastfeeding her. After a full month, she only gained 1.2 pounds in weight, and I'm worried about whether her weight gain is normal!Doctor's answer:
Premature infants weigh no more than 2500 grams at birth, and their head circumference is no more than 33 centimeters. A small number of premature infants who weigh more than 2500 grams but have poorer organ function and adaptability than full-term infants should still receive special care. A small for gestational age (SGA) infant (also known as a preterm infant) refers to an infant whose birth weight is below the 10th percentile of normal gestational weight or below two standard deviations below the mean due to factors such as placental dysfunction.