Learning About Developmental Milestones in Premature Babies

Growth and development milestones are things you can expect to see from your baby at different ages. They help you see how your baby is doing compared with other babies at the same age. Milestones are grouped into four areas: how babies interact with others (social-emotional), how they communicate (language and communication), how they learn (cognitive), and how they move (motor).

Babies often move in a natural and predictable way from one milestone to the next. But each baby grows and gains skills at their own pace. The same goes for premature babies.

When a baby is born early, their brain and body don't get as much time to develop in the womb compared to a baby born full-term. This changes the way you and your doctor will think about your baby’s age and when your baby should be reaching their developmental milestones.

An adjusted age takes into account the development time in the womb that a baby misses when born early. Sometimes it’s also called your baby’s corrected age.

When a baby is born 3 or more weeks early, you use an adjusted age to get a better sense of where your baby should be in their development. You’ll use their adjusted age when thinking about their development and milestones until they turn 2 years old. By then, most children have caught up to their actual age milestone range.

There’s a simple calculation to find your baby’s adjusted age. You’ll take your baby’s actual age in weeks and subtract the number of weeks they were born early. This is your baby’s adjusted age.

For example, if your baby was born 4 weeks ago but they were born 3 weeks early, their adjusted age is 1 week. Or if your baby is 12 weeks (3 months) old and they were born 6 weeks early, their adjusted age is 6 weeks (1 month and 2 weeks). The number of months is based on a 4-week month.

Here’s what you can expect at different stages in your baby’s first year. Use your baby’s adjusted age to know where they should be in their development.

• 1 month: Your baby can follow you with their eyes. They may have different types of cries. They can move both arms and both legs together.
• 2 months: Your baby can smile and may make sounds other than crying. They can lift their head and chest when on their tummy.
• 4 to 6 months: Your baby can make sounds like "oooo" and "aahh" (cooing). They look when their name is called. They may start to roll over on purpose.
• 6 to 9 months: Your baby can make squealing noises and babble. They’re rolling from tummy to back and crawling. They can also sit up with support.
• 9 to 12 months: Your baby can wave goodbye and may start to say “dada” or “mama.” They may look for hidden objects. They are pulling up to stand and may walk while holding furniture.