Talking of confusing things about pre-term babies, their development is another minefield. While term babies are expected to reach certain development milestones at certain times, the goalposts get moved around for the pre-terms. They have their injections at their real age (probably because they are out of the womb and subject to infections just like other children). But with development checks it all depends: at Henry’s check-up last week the doctor asked if he smiles yet (usually six weeks after the birth). Well, he does but he’s usually asleep or dreaming then, so I didn’t think it counted. The doctor reckoned that he would smile in about two to three weeks, i.e. halfway between his due date and the usual six weeks later. On the other hand, his eight-months check-up will be done at nine months to give him time to catch up. Then again, Henry’s neck is already very strong and he can hold his head up for short periods. And as a second child he can be expected to master some things sooner. So it all sounds totally confusing and like nobody has any real idea when Henry will have learnt what. Some things sooner, some things later. No, wait, that reminds me of something… Oh yes, it sounds like he’s just a normal child!

Henry is two months old today – time for me to get confused about his age again. When someone asks how old my baby is I never know what to say because as a pre-term he seems to have two birthdays, his real one and his due date. So today is two months since his birth, tomorrow he’ll be nine weeks old but his corrected age is just two weeks. Confused? I am. Perhaps it’ll get easier when he gets older and I can remember his real age minus seven weeks (the number of weeks he was early by). You can tell I have no numbers memory, can’t you?