The weight and height of the newborn is important information that parents will repeatedly tell the doctors when examining the child. And how the baby gains weight is an informative source about the baby’s health during the first 12 months of life. Especially young parents are worried about the following: how much a child should gain in the first month and what to do if the weight does not fit into the norm.
How much should a newborn weigh
To date, the average normal weight of just born babies is from 2.5 kilograms to 4.5. The weight of the newborn depends primarily on heredity (if one of the parents was born large, then most likely the child will be so), the mother’s nutrition while waiting for a miracle and the severity of the pregnancy. In premature babies or in the case of a multiple pregnancy, the baby's body weight may be below normal, but the situation will be normal if the lack of weight is small and the newborn adds in weight. Do not forget that in the first 5 days the weight of the baby will decrease on average by 170-350 g. This is due to the physiology of newborns. If you divide the weight by the height of the newborn, you can understand whether the baby belongs to medium-weight or large children. The resulting number in the range of 60-70? Mid-weight kid. More than 70 - the weight is not enough for its growth. Less than 60 - a large baby.
How much should a child gain weight in the first month of life
According to the norms, babies on average gain 500 - 1200 g in the first 4 weeks. But some children are gaining more or, conversely, less. If the weight is added even a little less than the lower threshold, you need to immediately find out the cause. Indeed, at this stage, weight is of great importance for the health of the baby. A small weight, like a large one, sometimes negatively affects the body of crumbs. But this does not mean that among healthy children there are no those who would have gained even up to 2 kg at the beginning of life. A baby with a small weight gain may have problems with muscle tone, which will adversely affect the development of physical skills, will lead to the development of rickets and a host of other problems. But, on the other hand, the child may catch up in the coming months. Everything here is purely individual. And without an experienced, reputable specialist, it is difficult to understand whether it is necessary to sound the alarm.
What affects weight loss
Knowing how much a newborn should gain in weight in the first month, you can understand the following:
- Does the child have enough of the amount of food he receives. If the baby eats mother’s milk, you need to double-check whether he grasps the breast correctly and is there really enough milk. It is necessary to give breasts at the first request of the baby, because if there is not enough milk, he will have nowhere to get calories in order to increase weight. If the baby receives the mixture instead of breast milk, you need to prepare food according to the instructions and give the right amount.
- A pectoral baby does not eat well. This can happen for a number of reasons, for example, a little or a lot of milk, the taste of milk has changed due to the food eaten by the mother, a short frenum of the tongue of the baby, colic (all newborns suffer from colic in the first 3 months), headaches in meteo-dependent children, illness crumbs (thrush on the mucous membrane of the mouth, earache, stuffy nose), teething, bad mood, baby child.
- Dysfunctional atmosphere in the family, which led to stress mom and baby. Lack of attention and care on the part of mom due to the many things she does at home. Her exhaustion from endless work. And the baby lacks heat and worries, cries. But do not forget how much the child should collect in the first month. Some cases can be delegated to the household or put aside and do baby.
- Some kind of health problems. It can be diseases of the baby’s nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, rickets. As soon as doubts arise, immediately consult a pediatrician without delay.
- Smoking by a nursing mother affects weight loss in a newborn.
How to determine if the baby is normal or not
So, we already know how much a child should gain in the first month. But the kids are all different. There is a formula for calculating the average norm of the baby’s weight. To do this, you need to take the mass of the baby at birth and add it to the number 800 times the age in months. It will turn out the average weight that a baby can have. Deviations of 10% are allowed. If deviations are more than normal, do not worry ahead of time. Consult a good pediatrician first, watch your baby. Sometimes the cause of deviations lies on the surface. With excess weight, the baby may overeat. He is hot, he asks for a drink, but he seems hungry. The reasons for the lack of weight are described above. By identifying why body weight is not normal, you can eliminate the cause of this and help the baby.
Trust but verify
But, in general, it is better to double-check the opinion of pediatricians about weight gain, primarily for their own reassurance. A mother’s calm state is very important when communicating with a baby, as he feels it. Doctors are also different. An experienced one will say one thing, and a young specialist can make many diagnoses based on textbooks. From which the head goes round. It is better to go to another doctor and consult if, knowing how much a child should collect in the first month, you see that the baby is cheerful and healthy, and the local pediatrician makes unclear diagnoses, frightening the consequences. Each child is individual and develops in his own way. So look for a doctor who understands this. After all, there are experienced, friendly and adequate doctors at the same time. It is good if babies and their mothers have such doctors.
Every mother needs to know how much a child should collect in the first month, but don’t worry if your baby deviates from the norm. Consultation of an experienced doctor will help to understand the situation and adjust the regimen of the baby day so that the weight is needed and the baby is healthy. Indeed, the development of the child ultimately depends on body weight in the first months. Health to you and your little ones!