Is My Baby Gaining Weight Properly?

Mothers cannot help but be obsessed with their baby’s weight.  It cannot be avoided because parents often use weight as a standard in measuring how healthy their babies are.  They think that the heavier their babies are, the healthier they will be.  This is one of the reasons why there are babies that are overweight by the time they reach toddlerhood, and obese when they reach pre-school age.

Pediatricians have a general standard on just how much your baby should weigh at a certain age. This would help you gauge how your baby is responding to his current feeding program.  Remember that breast milk or formula is your baby’s staple food for up to 6 months.

When your baby is around 0-4 months, the normal weight gain should be 5.5 – 8.5 ounces per week, although there are some babies who will peak at a weight gain of 7 ounces per week.  Initially, your baby will lose 5% of birth weight in the first week because he is burning brown fat.  Brown fat is stored fat that your baby develops while inside the womb.

Your baby will also have to get used to being fed by mouth, as he spent 9 months being fed via the umbilical cord by your placenta.  Once your baby’s digestive system picks up, he will then start utilizing energy to develop organs and other body parts.

When your baby reaches 4-6 months, your baby’s weight gain will slow down to 1-2 pounds per month.  By 6 months to 1 year, weight gain will be 1 pound per month.  In this period, your baby’s body is now centered in developing bones and nervous system.  Instead of gaining weight, your baby is getting longer and leaner.

Do not be concerned if your baby is not getting the highest recommended weight.  As long as your baby is on the lowest recommended weight range, you are feeding your baby properly.  When you consider the weight gain of your baby, you must also take into account your baby’s build.  Generally, longer babies do not gain weight easily.

Round babies, on the other hand, tend to increase in weight faster.  Babies gain weight better if they are given the best quality of sleep and when they are fed according to demand.  If you are concerned with your baby’s weight, do not hesitate to contact your pediatrician. Babies who do not gain weight or are below the minimum weight range need to be carefully examined by a pediatrician to rule out or correct any medical condition.