can a baby be premature at 5 lbs 5 oz?

MiCH3LL3 · #1 04-21-2009, 06:56 PM

Someone I know of had her baby December 15th a day before her scheduled C Section on December 16th. The originally due date was around December 27th. Which would only make 38 weeks from April 4th when she had sex with her baby daddy 40 weeks would be around the 2nd week of January. In a video she posted on youtube she refers to her daughter as a premature baby. Why would a doctor deliver a premature baby a day before the scheduled C section. Doesn't it sound like the baby was ready to come out the 15th and the doctors felt it wasnt a good idea to wait another day to deliver the baby please any comments would be great!! I'm sorry if none of this makes sence to you it doesn't add up or make sence to me either!
So a doctor wouldn't schedule a C-section if the baby was too small correct?

F A · #2 04-21-2009, 06:56 PM

Well my daughter was delivered c-section 3wks before her due date at 5lbs 7oz(dropped to 4lbs 13oz before we left the hospital) and no one ever said anything to be about her being premature.

I think they are only considered premature if they are born before 34 or 35wks, but I could be wrong.

VanValkenberg · #3 04-21-2009, 07:16 PM

That's not a premature baby, but she is very small. Unusually small in fact. Generally speaking, if the baby received proper nutrition in the womb (depending on whether or not the mother took care of herself), then the child should be 6 lbs or more when born. Regardless, she wasn't delivered prematurely, but right on schedule.

TwinsPlus1 · #4 04-21-2009, 11:15 PM

38 weeks isn't premature, but doctors will deliver a premie if it's safer for the baby to come out than stay in... like if mom has HELPP or toxemia.

Logan and Riley's Mommy! · #5 04-22-2009, 10:14 AM

38 weeks is not premature. She must not have been explained to that 37 weeks marks the full term date. Her baby was just small. My son was born at 38 weeks and he was 6lbs 6oz 19 in long. A friend of mines daughter was born at 39 weeks and she was 5 lbs. Just depends on the baby and how well the mother took care of herself really.

~JuliaGulia~ · #6 04-22-2009, 11:20 AM

Once you are 37 weeks you are considered full term. Anything before that is premature. So your friend's baby was not premature. And weight has nothing to do with prematurity. My friend's son was born at 36 weeks and weighed a whopping 8lbs 8oz and he was considered premature, though barely. She just makes big babies.

Hunter's Mommy · #7 04-22-2009, 10:13 PM

The baby was small. Premature is a baby born LESS THAN 37 weeks gestation.

A C-section is to ensure yor child gets into the world safely. Not all cases result in saftey, BUT considering the child was small, there could have been IUGR (inter uterine growth restricion) and needed to come out ASAP A C-section is NOT performed becuase a baby is "too big", yes obviously that is how they get them out, but having all the Natural contractions could have hurt the child, so the doctor did what was best. Something could have been wrong with your friend too. High blood pressure, Swelling bleeding. You never know. Just be thankful the baby is here ALIVE and HEALTY

LAURA L · #8 04-23-2009, 04:25 PM

I was told toot hat babies born before 37 weeks are premmature, and anytime after is full term, as it can fall 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after, so at 38 weeks the baby isnt prem.
I had a home birth and they said as long as i get to 37 weeks ill be ok to deliver at home, anything before would need hospital treatment, luckily he was stubborn and was nearly 2 weeks late! lol
I dont think it matters on the size of the baby really, my sisters babies were all c-sections as they were breach and they always came 4 weeks before their due dates and weighed just under 6lb, so i dont think it goes by weight, more by maturity of the babies lungs etc, which they say is 37 weeks.
Hope this makes sense! x