Every mother is concerned about her baby’s weight gain. From the first words of the midwife in the maternity hospital about the weight of the child at the time of birth, continuous monitoring, monthly weighing and excitement begin.
Weights are necessary in order to take measures in time if the baby is gaining weight poorly.
Babies born on time have a weight of 2500 – 4500 grams. But most babies after a few days at discharge from the hospital have the same weight or even less.
How much does a newborn weigh?
Indeed, after birth, milk does not arrive immediately, in most cases, only on the third day. All this time, the baby eats colostrum, which does not contribute to weight gain. But there is no need to be scared and panicked, “losing weight” of a newborn in the first days – this is normal, as nature intended.
During the period of forced starvation, the body of a little man is cleansed of toxins and the possible impact of amniotic fluid. After lactation is established, in infants, weight gain will go uphill.
What monthly increase is normal?
The rates of weight gain in infants are in the office of each pediatrician, but even different doctors can see different tables for gaining weight in infants. This is due to various factors that the doctor relies on when calculating the ideal weight for months. Thus, doctors have only averaged data, and decide what weight will be normal for a particular child, even at the age of 8 months, he will be individually. Will be taken into account and the baby’s weight at discharge, and the method of feeding (breast or mixture), height, as well as heredity.
On average, and the first month of his life, while a feeding and lactation schedule is being established, the baby adds from 400 grams to a kilogram, not more. Then, up to 6 months, the child should gain at least 600 grams per month. After six months, the toddler begins to move actively: sit and crawl, and weight gain can be less: 300-400 grams every month. In a year, the weight becomes 3 times more than at discharge.
But for especially anxious mothers who cannot wait to visit a pediatrician and want to know approximate norms, we will compile a table of the weight of the baby by months.
| Newborn age | Boy’s Weight (g) | Girl’s Weight (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Right after birth | 3200 | 3000 |
| 1 month | 3750 | 3500 |
| 2 month | 4500 | 4200 |
| 3 month | 5250 | 4800 |
| 4 month | 6000 | 5500 |
| 5 month | 6600 | 6200 |
| 6 month | 7300 | 6800 |
| 7 month | 7900 | 7400 |
| 8 month | 8500 | 7900 |
| 9 month | 8860 | 8300 |
| 10 month | 9200 | 8600 |
| 11 month | 9500 | 8900 |
| 12 month | 9700 | 9200 |
Underweight
If the scales showed an insufficient gain or the baby does not gain weight at all, this indicates insufficient nutrition. Perhaps the mother does not have enough milk and it is necessary to feed the baby with a mixture or introduce complementary foods, if age already allows.
But first you need to make sure that the lack of weight is due precisely to lack of nutrition. If a child moves a lot, turns over, crawls – naturally, he will not be such a “puffy”, physical activity burns extra calories. If, on the whole, he is cheerful and cheerful, often wets his diapers and has regular stools, you don’t need to focus on the numbers on the scales. Each child is individual.
Too much weight gain: why?
As a rule, breast-fed babies gain more weight than their peers who are breast-fed. If the weight gain in babies who are breastfed is too big, you need to mom to reconsider her diet. Perhaps her milk is too oily due to some foods.
In rare cases, excessive weight gain may be a symptom of a disease, and the doctor will refer the baby for analysis.
Do not get hung up on tables and numbers. All children are different and grow according to their schedule established by nature. In addition, babies can develop spasmodically: a large weight gain in the first months, and then a “lull” for some time. In any case, if something bothers him, he will notify you by crying. Out of politeness, he will not be silent.
