Premature Infants

I wouldn't worry but just call the doctor. I was really paranoid about calling all the time. But then my Dr reminded me that it's their job and guaranteed me, that no matter what my question is they have heard a weirder one or that someone has called more time/day than me. Just call!

infant as in 2 weeks old, or infant as in 8 months old?
A very young infant should sleep constantly, as long as you are able to wake him/her up for regular feedings and they are growing it should be fine. An older infant should be awake and alert and aware of their surroundings for a couple of hours at a time during the day in between their naps.
For a premie, you should adjust their age to their due date, not their birthdate. So if your baby was two months early and is two months old, you would expect newborn behavior from him/her. If he/she was two months early and is five months old, you expect three month old behavior from them.
If you are really worried, give a call to their pediatrician.

Don't feel bad about calling your doctor with any questions. I just admitted it to the nurses - "I'm going to apologize now - I'm a first time mom and I might be calling a lot!" They laughed and all was fine. It can feel intimidating to call a great deal, but better safe than sorry. If your doc makes you feel strange about it, look for a new practice.
As far as your baby, my daughter was not premature but slept a lot, too. As long as they are eating and creating dirty diapers (you can ask your doc how many to expect a day), then they are fine. I made a pile of the number of diapers she was supposed to use a day and then every time I needed one, took one from that pile. That way, you can easily keep track of how many you actually used that day. It's very important that your baby not become dehydrated because she's not drinking enough. Even though she has been here for 8 weeks, she is only "2 weeks" old as you count from her due date vs. birth date. A 2 week old still sleeps a great deal which is fine as long as she's drinking. But call your doc to feel reassured before your appointment on Friday! Congratulations and best of luck. It gets easier and easier, so hang in there.

How old is the baby? Very common to sleep a lot. You haven't provided much detail. Does he/she wake to eat?

My twins were born at 36 weeks and I do remember them sleeping quite often. However if you are concerned just call the pediatrician to be sure. I think that is usually typical for premies though............

Babies sleep a lot when they're having a growth spurt--could it be that your little one is trying to catch up? I remember my premature twins sleeping a lot when they were newborns. Also, keep her adjusted age in mind--developmentally she's only 2 weeks old and it's perfectly normal for a 2 week old to sleep almost all the time. There are lots of things to worry about with preemies, but sleeping too much probably isn't one of them ;)

J.

My son was also born at 34 weeks, I believe I drove my pediatrician's office nuts at first, but they never seemed to mind. My son never slept, my daughter slept a lot and still does. If she has an appointment on Friday then call and see if they can see her earlier, if it makes you feel better. Tell them your concerns and they will likely work with you. Good luck.

I agree with S L M. Call your pediatrician if you EVER have ANY concerns about your baby!

This sounds like a question for the doctor. My grandson was not early. But he slept constantly for the first month and it bothered me a great deal. It wasn't anything I had seen before. But he's happy and normal now and almost 2.

how premature? how long in the PICU?

my son slept 23 hours a day for the first 2 weeks he was alive..he was 6 weeks early. No health issues...he was excited to get into the world!!

My second son was 4 weeks early - slept about 20 hours a day and had pneumonia, apnea and a host of other problems....

without more info I can't tell you.