I could see the difference!

[Liz]

We don't know. I had a night of vomiting and contractions, and I contacted my OB because I was feeling dehydrated. He admitted me and put me on fluids.. tried to stop the contractions with meds but the next time I was examined I was 4cm.. so there was no stopping it. I only had time for 1 dose of steroids for her lungs too.

[Early Kids]

That must've been scary for you... spontaneous labour. Obviously your body knew it was time to get Kayla out!!

[nickers]

Hey Liz,

Most has been said here but my first son was born at 33weeks, and his cousin was born FT (on her due date) 4 days later. we lived interstate but regularly visited and when the two were together you could really tell the difference. Not only size wise but she rolled at 3m, Nixon at 5.5, Sat at 6 months, Nixon at 9months, crawled at 7months, Nixon at 11months and walked at 13 months Nixon at 15months.
even now she said all these words under the sun, Nixon babbles but most is not clear.

some premmies (also depends on how prem and if they had any complications early on) take up to 2 yrs to catch up, some can take up until they start school.

i found when ppl asked how old he was i would say his actual but explain he was really only his corrected age. some ppl understand others just look at you with a blank face and have no idea!

Now i have a FT son also and there is so much difference. He started smiling at 5wks (Nixon was about 10wks i think) he started rolling a few days ago, holds his head up really well, something that Nixon never did.

Was Tallon a big baby when he was born?

[Liz]

Nic - I tend to tell people her actual age and then explain too. Mainly coz she's quite a big girl (over 5kg now) and still sits kinda floppy and curled up heh.

Tallon was only 2.7kg at 37 weeks, so we have no idea why she was so big!

[Kirsty EW]

He ha! I always used to say Gus's corrected age, because it attracted less attention that way. He has always been tiny for his age. He was born 11 wks early and weighed 1010g. He'll be 21/2 years old on 22 January and currently weighs 9.6kg! He has always been tiny for his actual age when he's met each milestone. For example he was only 6.4kg when he learned to walk at 14 months actual age, or 11 months corrected age. I found that it mostly took him a while longer than my friend's full term thriving children to reach milestones, but that once he reached one he seemed to master it more quickly than the other kids so then caught up to them and in some cases overtook them with relative skill competency. Eg went from walking to running fast in a matter of a couple of weeks, so that he could outrun friend's kids who'd been walking for several months. But I guess if Kayla isn't small for her age, then you can't as easily get away with fibbing. Generally I found people didn't really get what it means to be premature and that even strangers who seemed to "get it", didn't really understand that somehow you don't just catch up the three months that my son should have still been inutero by the time they are say, 6 months old.

Nowadays I don't fib about Gus's age. He's old enough to understand what I'm saying so I don't want to keep harping on about his prematurity and smallness for age. Generally nowadays he's so "competent" that people don't focus on his smallness, but rather how coordinated, fast, active etc he is and how he never stops talking. LOL!