A baby delivered at less than 37 weeks gestation is considered a premature birth. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls babies born at less than 28 weeks "very preterm." The characteristics of preemie babies differ from full-term newborns because they had less time to develop in the mother's womb. With proper care, the majority of premature babies in the United States go on to live healthy lives.
Skin and Body
Premature babies weigh less than full-term babies and have little body fat. Very preterm babies may weigh no more than 2 or 3 pounds at birth, and their heads may look very large in comparison to their bodies. Veins are visible beneath the premature baby's skin, and the skin may be wrinkled and red or pink. Penn State Children's Hospital reports that premature babies have difficulty maintaining a normal body temperature because they have so little fat under their skin. Placing preterm infants in heated incubators helps them stay warm. Premature babies may be covered with a soft layer of hair called lanugo, which will fall off as your baby grows. Babies born very early may not be able to open their eyes and may not have eyelashes. Their eyes usually open between 28 to 31 weeks.
Crying and Lung Development
Lung development may not be complete in a premature baby. Babies born very prematurely may not cry at all, while babies born later may be able to manage only weak cries. Until your baby is breathing on her own, she will receive oxygen through a breathing tube in her throat. The presence of the breathing tube will make audible crying impossible even if she is capable. Your premature baby may develop apnea, a condition that occurs when she stops breathing temporarily. The Kids Health website reports that almost all babies born at 30 weeks or younger will experience apnea, but the condition usually becomes less frequent with age.
Swallowing and Sucking
Because a premature baby's brain is not fully mature, he may not have normal swallowing or sucking reflexes needed for normal feeding. Until your baby learns to suck and swallow without any problem, he will be fed intravenously or through a feeding tube.
Movements
Muscle development is often lacking in preterm infants. The March of Dimes reports that very preterm infants may move very little because of the lack of muscle tone, while babies born at 28 to 31 weeks gestation can make jerky movements and can grasp a person's finger. Babies born later may have more normal movements.
Sexual Characteristics
Your premature child's external sexual organs may be perfectly formed, but not fully developed. Penn State Children's Hospital reports that boys may have a small scrotum and one or both testicles may not yet have descended into the scrotum. Girls may not have fully developed labia, the fleshy lips that surround the vagina. Babies born before 34 weeks may not have nipples, although the darker area of skin that surrounds the nipple may be present.
