Low Birth Weight Causes | How to Increase Weight in New-born Babies

Low birth weight (LBW) is a term used when the new born baby weight less than 2.5 Kg, regardless of the gestational age of the baby. The average Indian new-born usually weighs between 2.5 to 2.9 Kgs. Birth weights is a strong indicator of the mother’s health and nutritional status and also the chances of survival of the new-born and long term health and development of the child. Subcategories of low birth weight include VLBW that is Very Low Birth Weight, which is less than 1.5kg and ELBW, Extremely Low Birth Weight, which is less than 1kg.

Baby weight in India varies, and 2 out of 10 full-term newborn babies are low birth weight. While some low birth weight babies are healthy, others may face serious health concerns. The baby weight and baby growth may increase concerns regarding the newborn baby care.

What are difference between prematurity and low birth weight?

Premature babies are those born before the 37th week of pregnancy. These babies may not have completed their growth and development and usually have low birth weight.

Low birth weight babies are full term babies, born after the 37th week of pregnancy but weigh less than 2500 gms. Out of every 10 low birth weight newborn babies, 7 are born premature. Baby weight during pregnancy is an important factor to consider in the treatment of low baby weight and baby growth.

What Cause for Low Birth Weight in New-born Babies?

• Babies that have an inherited medical condition, which may cause disease or disability after birth
• Multiple pregnancies as the space to grow in the womb is less
• Mother with pregnancy induced hypertension, which reduces blood flow to the baby, thereby reducing oxygen and nutrients to the baby
• Anemia in the mother
• History of miscarriage, still birth, previous low birth weight or preterm delivery
• Mother having asthma, diabetes and kidney disease
• Improper antenatal care
• Associated HIV/AIDS
• Stress or emotional problems
• Drinking or smoking
• Problems with the placenta like low lying placenta
• Infections in the mother
• Not enough weight gain during pregnancy
• Preterm labor

Effects of Low Birth Weight of Newborn Babies

The effect on low birth weight babies depends on duration of pregnancy and the new born baby weight

• Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) or breathing problems
• Risk of infection is increased
• Blood sugar may be low
• Problems in feeding the baby
• Keeping the baby warm may be difficult
• The blood may become too thick because of increased number of red blood cells

How to Increase Baby Weight?

You can help increase baby weight and facilitate baby growth if you follow the below practices:

• Breastfeed the baby for healthy growth
• Get regular development and growth checks
• Keeping track of the baby’s weight gain and nutritional needs as it grows older
• Follow the doctor’s advice on the immunization schedule. This is very important as low birth weight babies are more susceptible to infections

Worried about the baby’s low birth weight? Here are some tips

A child’s normal weight is somewhere between 2.5 and 3.5 kg. If the weight is slightly more than 3.5 kg it is also considered to be normal. If your baby weighs less than 2.5 kg, he or she is said to have a low birth weight. This is something that can happen to premature babies. If your baby was born prematurely, her situation differs from that of babies born between 37 and 42 weeks.

What are the causes of infants having low birth weight?

There are numerous reasons why a baby may be born with low birth weight. It could be hereditary, or due to the baby being born prematurely, due to a medical condition, a problem with the placenta, or high blood pressure, which may have slowed down your baby’s development. Other problems such as breathing difficulties, also known as respiratory distress syndrome, a higher risk of infection, low blood sugar and feeding problems, and difficulty in staying warm are responsible for the child’s low birth weight.

Other causes of infant low birth weight are multiple pregnancies, abuse of drugs and alcohol, nutritional deficiencies, or birth imperfections.

How to differentiate between prematurity and low birth weight

Those children who are born before the 37th week of pregnancy are considered premature. These babies’ growth and development may not have been completed, and they usually have a low birth weight. Low birth weight or small for gestational age babies are full-term children born after the 37th week of pregnancy but weighing less than 2500 gms. Premature birth is the major contributor for low birth weight newborn babies. At birth, baby weight is an important factor to consider in the treatment of low baby weight and baby growth.

Few tips to enhance baby birth weight are as follows–

Breastfeed your child

Breast milk is the most nutritious food for a premature baby. This not only provides the ideal balance of essential nutrients, but also contributes to the growth of immunity, the maturity of your baby’s gut, and the enhancement of strength. Feed your baby at a fixed time rather than being dependent only on hunger cues given by them. It is possible that you will need to feed your baby every 2-3 hours.

Make a note of your own meals

Because breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for your baby, you must eat well in order to produce nutritious breast milk. Consume sufficient proteins as well as healthy fats. It is essential to get enough calcium and iron. Barley, fennel, fenugreek seeds, leafy vegetables, whole grains like oats, and papaya are some foods that can help you increase the quality and quantity of your breastmilk. Avoid anti-lactogenic foods such as peppermint, smoking, and also alcohol.

Massage your child

Lipid absorption takes place through the skin; thus, regular oil massages can help your child gain weight steadily. They also improve metabolism, your baby’s behaviour, and mental development. Apply a small amount of oil to your hands and rub them together to warm them and the oil before massaging it into your baby’s skin.

Skin-to-skin contact

The benefits of skin-to-skin contact, also known as kangaroo mother care, between the baby and you and your partner are abundant. It strengthens the bond between the child and the parents, keeps the baby warm, regulates heartbeats and breathing rate, promotes good sleep, and makes breastfeeding easier. In many cases, skin-to-skin contact between the infant and the mother causes the baby to move towards the mother’s nipples and effectively latch on for a feed.

However, if your baby was born at low birth weight, he can meet all of his developmental levels and grow into a healthy baby with proper medical care. But, if your baby does not gain weight after trying the tips mentioned, you should consult with your baby’s paediatrician. The best way to track your baby’s weight gain is to weigh him or her on a regular basis. If your child isn’t gaining weight as quickly as you prefer, the doctor may recommend supplements and a different feeding schedule.

(The writer is Consultant Neonatologist & Paediatrician, Motherhood Hospitals, Banashankari, Bangalore.)

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Birth weight may impact intelligence throughout life

Being born at below-normal weight is associated with a lower intelligence quotient (IQ) not only in childhood and young adulthood, but even at age 50, according to a new study from Denmark.

Researchers found IQ differences between underweight and normal-weight babies remained stable into midlife, and even within the normal birth weight range, higher weights equated with slightly higher IQ throughout life.

“We found that the association between birth weight and intelligence is stable from young adulthood into midlife,” said lead study author Trine Flensborg-Madsen of the University of Copenhagen.

“There are long-term cognitive consequences of birth weight that do not diminish,” Flensborg-Madsen said by email.

Birth weights of less than 2.5 kilograms (5 pounds, 8.2 ounces) have long been linked to a variety of health problems including the potential for a lower intelligence quotient (IQ) in youth. A normal birth weight ranges from 2.5 kg to 4 kg (8 pounds, 13.1 ounces) and the average weight of infants in the current study was 3.3 kg (7 pounds, 4.4 ounces).

Compared to babies born at 2.5 kg or less, infants with a birth weight of 3.5 to 4 kg scored more than five points higher on IQ tests at age 28 and again at age 50, the study found.

Worldwide, about 22 million babies, or 16 percent of infants, are born at a low birth weight each year, increasing their risk of death in the first months and years of life, according to UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund.

Babies are often underweight when they’re born premature or have restricted fetal growth. Both of these problems are more common in the developing world and typically occur because mothers have pregnancy complications tied to poverty or poor nutrition.

For the current study, researchers examined data on almost 4,700 babies born in Copenhagen from 1959 to 1961, including birth records and results from intelligence assessments done when participants were 19, 28 and 50 years old.

They sorted babies into five weight categories: underweight, meaning 2.5 kg or less; 2.5 kg to 3 kg; more than 3 kg up to 3.5 kg; more than 3.5 kg up to 4 kg; and overweight, or more than 4 kg.

Average-weight babies in the study fell in the middle category of more than 3 kg up to 3.5 kg.

Birth weight was significantly associated with intelligence at all three follow-up assessments, researchers report in Pediatrics.

This association remained even after researchers adjusted for other factors that can influence intelligence such as household socioeconomic status and babies’ gestational age. A low birth weight can’t explain all of this connection because the association also held up among babies born at a range of healthy weights, the authors also note.

The study wasn’t a controlled experiment designed to prove that low birth weight directly causes lower IQ scores or that heavier babies are smarter.

Another limitation is the potential for many factors not explored in the study, such as home environment, maternal stress or parental intelligence, to influence babies’ future IQ scores, the authors point out.

Parents also shouldn’t be worried, because the absolute effect size is very small, said Dr. Susan Shenkin, a researcher at the University of Edinburgh who wasn’t involved in the study. Many decades ago, limited prenatal care might have also influenced how babies in the study developed in ways that would be different for infants born today, Skenkin said by email.

“The brain develops rapidly before birth, and therefore lower birth weight may reflect a poorer environment for brain growth,” Shenkin added. “We still can’t say whether low birth weight ‘causes’ lower cognitive ability test scores.”

SOURCE: bit. ly/2pZM7mA Pediatrics, online May 10, 2017.

Low Birth Weight

• Race: Asian babies generally have a lower birth weight than Caucasian babies.
  
  The Age of the Mother: Mothers in their teens are more likely to deliver babies with a low birth weight; any babies whose mother is under 15 are particularly susceptible.
• The Socioeconomic Background of the Mother: In addition to the mother’s age and health, her socioeconomic background is another indicator of a low birth weight due to poorer nutrition during pregnancy, less prenatal care, and pregnancy complications.
• The Lifestyle of the Mother: Mothers who partake of illegal drugs, alcohol and/or cigarettes place their babies at increased risk of low birth weight.
• Multiple Pregnancies: Babies born from a multiple pregnancy, such as twins or triplets, are also more likely to have a low birth weight primarily because they are more likely to be born prematurely.

A low birth weight puts newborns at greater risk of complications, and the risk of these complications increases in line with a decrease in the birth weight. As they are weaker, low birth weight babies are more susceptible to infection, and this is exacerbated because the lack of body fat makes it more difficult for them to keep warm. Even eating and gaining weight can be difficult, while low oxygen levels at birth and immature lungs can lead to respiratory problemssuch as respiratory distress syndrome. Additional risks for low birth weight babies include the following:

• Neurologic problems, such as intra-ventricular hemorrhage (bleeding inside the brain)
• Gastrointestinal problems such as necrotizing enterocolitis (a serious disease of the intestine common in premature babies)
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

In almost every case, newborns with a low birth weight will need to stay in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) until they have gained enough weight and are well enough to go home. In the ICU, the specialized attention they will receive includes round-the-clock monitoring, sleeping in a temperature controlled bed and being fed through a special tube. Thanks to the attention they receive, low birth weight babies between 1.5kg and 2.5kg (3.3lbs. and 5.5lbs.) now have a 95% chance of survival, and these babies will catch up with other babies and lead a normal life if there are no other complications.

As premature birth is the main cause of low birth weight, preventing premature births is the best way to prevent babies being born with a low birth weight. Prenatal care plays a very important role in achieving this because the health of both the mother and the fetus can be monitored regularly. Ultrasound is also used to measure the size of the fetus, which the measurement of fetus’s head and abdomen can then be compared against a growth chart to estimate fetal weight. In addition, it is important that the mother eats a healthful diet during pregnancy with the right amount of nutrition as maternal weight gain is directly linked with fetal weight gain and subsequent birth weight. Finally, mothers should avoid alcohol, cigarettes and illegal drugs during pregnancy as these also stunt fetal growth and lead to other complications.

Baby Weight | How Much Weight Should A Baby Gain?

Once your little bundle of joy has entered the world, it’s perfectly natural to be fascinated by your baby’s weight. Afterall, your baby’s weight is one of the first things people will ask you about your newborn, once you’ve told them whether you have had a boy or a girl!

Like adults, babies come in all different shapes and sizes, but as your baby grows, their weight is an important sign they are feeding well and a positive indicator that your little one is happy and healthy. It’s important to keep an eye on your baby’s weight gain or loss, but that often means parents can find themselves fretting about whether or not their baby is too big or too small.

This concern is totally understandable, but remember, your midwife will perform regular checkups to monitor your little one’s weight, while a health visitor will keep also measure the length and head size of your baby. They are there to support you if your baby loses a large amount of weight or doesn’t regain their birth weight within two weeks, so they will want to know all about how feeding is going. They may even ask to see you breastfeeding your little one, just to ensure your baby’s feeding and growing as they should.

How much should your baby weigh?

How much your little one weighs is determined by your genetics and, importantly, your health and nutrition during your pregnancy. Although it’s easy to be distracted by your baby’s weight and how much your newborn weighs at birth, there are other factors that can impact a baby’s weight and growth in pregnancy. The midwife will be performing fundal height measurement (generally defined as the distance from the pubic bone to the top of the uterus

measured in centimetres) during your pregnancy, in order to ensure that everything is consistent and as it should be. These measurements will be jotted down in your notes. If there any concerns, you may be referred for a growth scan, but it’s important to remember that it’s not just about the weight of the baby, but also tracking the consistency throughout pregnancy. Baby boys tend to be a little heavier than little girls, and their growth patterns are ever so slightly different. As a result they each have different centile charts. Visit the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health website to see some examples of baby weight charts.

Newborn weight loss

Every child follows a growth pattern from birth – and usually the first thing they do is lose weight! This is more common in breastfed babies. Babies can lose up to 10% of their birth weight in the first few days but should have gained this again by around day 10. It’s normal for your baby to lose a bit of weight during their first few days after birth; this is because they are born with a little extra fluid, which they swiftly get rid of!

Newborns also tend to lose weight because it can take your baby a little while to get used to drinking milk, and if you’re breastfeeding, your body also has to get used to producing milk, too.

How often should you weigh your baby?

It’s very easy to become a little obsessive about your baby’s weight, but after the first two weeks of birth, you really don’t need to weigh your baby that often. As a general guide, you should weigh your baby:

• Once a month, up to six months of age

• Once every two months from 6-12 months of age

• Once every three months over the age of one

Obviously, you can weigh your baby as often as you like, and you don’t need to wait until your next appointment. You can go to your local baby clinic or see your health visitor at any time, but your midwife will probably only weigh your baby more often if they have concerns about your little one’s development.

Where to record your baby’s weight

Towards the end of your pregnancy or after you’ve given birth, your doctor or midwife will give you a little red book. This is your baby’s personal child health record (PCHR). Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds!

You should use this book to record your little one’s weight and height. Some parents like to keep a record of their baby’s vaccinations and illnesses as well, but your little red book should be kept up-to-date with your baby’s weight and height changes. It’s a good way to track your little one’s development, so make sure you take it to the baby clinic or your doctor. You’ll find it very useful – and it’s also a lovely record to look back on when your little one is all grown up. 

Average Baby Weight and Height

Breastmilk – This is hands down the best food to ensure consistent growth in your baby the way nature intended it. It should be top of the list as it is the most important food a baby will eat in its entire life. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life, and breastfeeding to continue until at-least one year (although it doesn’t hurt to extend it).

Eggs (non-vegetarian) or Soya beans (vegetarian) – Protein forms a part of all the cells in the body and is needed to make new cells. Hence it is essential in a child’s formative years as this is when most of the development takes place. Mash some egg yolk or soya beans and feed one tablespoon to your child (increasing it over time) so they can also get the growth benefits of protein.

Avocado – Even though it isn’t native to India, that doesn’t mean you can’t derive the benefits of this super-food. It is known as ‘Makhan Phal’ (butter-fruit) because of its buttery texture. The delectable, creamy texture makes it palatable for babies. Not only taste, avocado is also packed with essential nutrients, fatty acids, and fiber; making it one of the most baby-friendly solid foods that you can introduce as a puree at around the 6-month mark.

Potato – A classic in every right, the potato is versatile, yummy, and rich in minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients. It is also the least allergenic food, which helps when dealing with the sensitive digestive system of a baby. It can be had as a puree, a soup, or even in khichdi. In addition to that, it’s also a fuss-free food as most babies love the bland, soft taste and texture of potato. Widely available all over the world, you should have no trouble findin

g potatoes anywhere.

Banana – One of the most popular baby foods, bananas are naturally sweet, easily mashed, and quite portable too! They don’t require any cooking and can be mashed without any equipment. Bananas are energy dense, packed with dietary fiber, potassium, and other vitamins and minerals making it an ideal weight gaining food. The best way to introduce bananas are by pureeing them and feeding a tablespoon to your baby.

Do keep in mind that solid foods should only be started after the six-month mark. Consult your pediatrician about how and when to start solid foods for your baby. The list provided above are just general guidelines about foods that can help your baby gain weight and length. As long as your baby is steadily gaining weight and length on their growth chart, and being regularly breastfed until the one-year mark, you have no reason to worry about their growth.

Infant growth: What’s normal? – Mayo Clinic

Healthy infants come in a range of sizes. Still, infant growth tends to follow a fairly predictable path. Consider these general guidelines for infant growth in the first year:

• From birth to age 6 months, a baby might grow 1/2 to 1 inch (about 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters) a month and gain 5 to 7 ounces (about 140 to 200 grams) a week. Expect your baby to double his or her birth weight by about age 5 months.
• From ages 6 to 12 months, a baby might grow 3/8 inch (about 1 centimeter) a month and gain 3 to 5 ounces (about 85 to 140 grams) a week. Expect your baby to triple his or her birth weight by about age 1 year.

Your baby’s doctor will track your baby’s growth at routine well-baby exams, likely marking your baby’s growth on a standard growth chart.

Keep in mind that many healthy babies go through brief periods when they stop gaining weight or even lose a little weight. A doctor is likely to be concerned only if a baby doesn’t gain weight from one well-baby exam to the next. Your baby’s position on the curve in a growth chart isn’t as important as the trend of the curve overall.

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Show references

1. Growth charts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts. Accessed July 26, 2017.
2. Kliegman RM, et al. The first year. In: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 20th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier; 2016. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed July 27, 2017.
3. Kliegman RM, et al. Assessment in growth. In: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 20th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier; 2016. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed July 27, 2017.
4. Birth to 24 months: Boys length-for-age percentiles and weight-for-age percentiles. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/who_charts.htm. Accessed July 27, 2017.
5. Birth to 24 months: Girls length-for-age percentiles and weight-for-age percentiles. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/who_charts.htm. Accessed July 27, 2017.
6. Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 29, 2017.
7. Nichols J. Normal growth patterns in infants and prepubertal children. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed July 27, 2017.

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Norms of growth and weight of the baby

Newborns come into this world completely unadapted to the environment. Therefore, your care and attention will help babies to become strong and strong. Over the course of a year, the child acquires many new skills, becomes mobile and inquisitive, and also increases the mass and length of the body more than twice.

Each person on Earth is individual, but despite this, there are general patterns and principles of increasing the weight and length of the body of children.And every mom can rely on them. But you do not need to check up to the gram and the centimeter!

The average birth weight for girls is 2800 – 3300 grams, and for boys 2900 – 3500 grams. The average body length for both sexes is 48-51 centimeters. But if your child does not meet these parameters, this is not a reason to panic.

In the first few days of life, a newborn can lose up to 10% of the mass, but by 10-14 days he must restore the parameters that he had at birth.

During the first month, the child adds 25-30 grams every day, and in a month the total increase is about 600 grams. Then the monthly weight gain is 800 grams up to six months and 400 grams monthly up to 1 year. The average weight of your baby should be about 10 kg per year.

How do you know if your baby is gaining enough weight?

The first thing you need to pay attention to is the well-being of the child.It is also necessary to note the rate of food intake. If he greedily sucks milk or a mixture, requires feeding every 20-30 minutes, then it is worth counting the amount of food eaten by the baby.

If your baby is bottle-fed, you can easily determine how much he eats at a time. But how do you know how much your baby is getting per meal if you are breastfeeding? The answer is very simple – weigh it before and after eating. The difference in weight is the amount of food eaten.You can find the approximate amount of feeding a baby in the first year of life in table 1. If your child is not eating enough, do not try to adjust nutrition on your own, it is better to contact a pediatrician.

To measure the baby’s body weight, ordinary scales will not go, since accuracy is very important for your child in the first months of life.

It is better to use special baby scales that are specially adapted for the smallest ones. It is convenient to put the baby on them, and they are accurate to the gram, which is very important for newborns.

As for the length of the baby’s body. The first three months, children grow on average by 3 cm per month, from the third to the sixth month by 2.5 cm. After six months, the growth rate slows down a little, and the child begins to add 1-1.5 cm per month. The average body length per year is approximately 75-80 cm. The correct measurement of growth in children of the first year of life is carried out in a supine position using a horizontal stadiometer in the form of a board eighty centimeters long with a fixed bar in the upper part. The child is laid so that the top of the head is tightly pressed against the fixed bar.The crumbs’ legs are straightened with light pressure on the knees.

If your baby differs from the average norms of weight and body length, do not panic, but be sure to contact a pediatrician! After all, the lag or, on the contrary, the acceleration of development can have many reasons. And also remember that every person on Earth and every child is individual and has its own pace of physical development.

Baby weight. Weight norms in infants by month in the table

Floor .Boys tend to outnumber more fragile girls in weight at birth.

Heredity . Obviously, tall, stately parents will have larger children than a petite young mom and a dad of average build.

Nutrition mothers during pregnancy. Often, with a high-calorie diet of a woman, the fetus gains weight even before birth.

The physical and psychological state of the mother during pregnancy.Stress and illness, of course, affect the health and, as a result, the baby’s weight.

Mom’s bad habits – smoking, alcohol. In this context, the weight of the child also depends entirely on his health.

Infant weight at discharge

You need to be prepared for the fact that in the first days of life, the baby will lose a little weight – by 6-10% of the birth weight. This is easily explained by the fact that the baby is experiencing stress. He needs time to adapt to new living conditions.Mom should improve lactation. At first, the newborn will get by with small portions of colostrum, since his stomach is very small. In the future, weight gain is calculated from the number at discharge.

Weight gain in infants is a consequence of various reasons.

Appetite .

Well-being . When the baby is unwell, he eats worse.

Feeding type .Bottle-fed babies gain weight faster than babies.

Quality and quantity of breast milk (with breastfeeding).

Child mobility . Active toddlers are more fit than lazy ones.

Mode Power . With on-demand feeding, weight gains faster than with hourly feeding.

Age .In the first months, babies grow faster, gradually weight gain slows down.

Weight gain for newborns

So how much should a newborn gain? A normal increase in the first month of life is 90-150 grams per week. For 2, 3 and 4 months, the baby should “grow” by 140-200 grams per week. From 5 months to six months, the increase will decrease to 100-160 grams per week. Then the child will gradually gain weight and by his first birthday he should weigh about 3 times more than at discharge.

Newborn weight table by month

This table is, of course, rather arbitrary. It is important to remember that children are individual in their development – one can grow faster, the other slower. If the baby is healthy and cheerful, there should be no reason for parents to worry about “non-standard gains” in weight.

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Norms, ratio, calculator of height and weight in children

Norms of height and weight of a child

Often, children’s appetite is one of the main indicators of health for parents.A child who eats lunch with pleasure, with his whole appearance seems to signal: “Everything is fine with me.” A child who sadly picks at food with a fork, leaving half of the portion on the plate, quite naturally causes anxiety. It is important to remember that a lack of appetite and avoiding certain food categories for several months or more can result in a lack of important nutrients for proper growth and development. If the baby is not sick, feels good and is developing normally, weight may be one of the markers of his health.To assess how your child’s height and weight are in line with accepted norms, you can use the special tables for assessing the height and weight of the child, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Weight and Height Calculator

The calculator on our page will help you get clear and accessible information about your child’s development. Many mothers are familiar with the situation when the “little one” refuses certain categories of products or simply does not have time to have a full meal due to a busy schedule.How nutritious is your child’s nutrition? Is he getting all the nutrients he needs in the right amount? We offer an easy and convenient way to learn how you can improve and diversify your children’s diet.

The ratio of height and weight in children

The height and weight calculator has a very important function – it helps parents to get rid of doubts. How many times during a walk in the park or on the playground have you noted with anxiety that your baby seems half a head shorter than his peers? Or they discontentedly parried the remarks of those around them, noticing: “He is so thin with you!”

In reality, eye-to-eye height and weight estimates do not provide any precise data about a child.
Main indicators to be guided by:

• 1. Height and weight of the child depending on age and sex
• 2. Ratio of height and weight

Norms of height and weight of children in accordance with WHO criteria:

Boys

Age	Height	Weight
1 year	from 73.4 to 78.1 cm	from 8.6 to 10.8 kg
2 years	from 84.1 up to 90.9 cm	from 10. 8 to 13.6 kg
3 years	from 92.4 to 99.8 cm	from 12.7 to 16.2 kg
5 years	105.3 to 114.6 cm	16 to 21 kg
7 years	116.4 to 127 cm	20 to 26.4 kg
10 years	131.4 to 144.2 cm	26.7 to 37 kg

Girls

Parents should focus on these intervals, and not on an approximate comparison of the child with his peers. Try to provide your child with a healthy regimen, feed him tasty and healthy food, walk outside together – and you will have no reason to worry about a temporary lack of appetite or lack of weight. A weight and height calculator will always help you easily monitor your child’s development.

Sources:
1) Skurikhin I.M., Tutelian V.A. Tables of the chemical composition and calorie content of Russian food products:
Handbook. -M .: DeLi print, 2007.-276s.
2) USDA SR-23 USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
3) Norms of physiological requirements for energy and nutrients for various population groups
of the Russian Federation.MR Guidelines 2.3.1.2432 -08
4) The WHO Child Growth Standards: http://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/en/ http://www.who.int/growthref/en/

ANI- -2000075

Table of height and weight of children under two years old

Every child is different and every child develops in its own way. Each time you visit the doctor, he fills out the baby’s growth chart to make sure that the baby is developing normally. Perhaps, at first, not everything will be clear in the table, but the doctor will help you figure it out and advise on how to interpret the results based on your specific situation.We wrote this article to simplify your task a little and give you some general recommendations on how to use the child’s growth chart.

Child development by month: what is the child growth chart?

The Child’s Growth Charts are a useful tool to help your doctor monitor your child’s overall health and development. Thanks to these tables, you can compare the development of your child with the development of other children of the same age and gender, and monitor the dynamics of how the baby grows.For children under 24 months, there are the following developmental indicators, which doctors usually focus on:

• Head circumference (measured at the most protruding places of the head, shows the dynamics of the child’s brain development)

• Weight in relation to length

• Weight in relation to age

• Length in relation to age

There are different tables for boys and girls, as well as for children under 24 months and over 2 years of age.

The doctor can also compare the information contained in these tables with other indicators of development, compare with the parameters of family members and analyze them in relation to other factors. These tables can be downloaded from the following links.

Boys height chart: birth to 24 months

• Weight-for-length and head-circumference-for-age chart for boys

• Length and weight-for-age chart for boys

Table height for girls: from birth to 24 months

• Table of weight in relation to length and head circumference in relation to age for girls

• Table of length and weight in relation to age for girls

Child development by months : when and how are the child’s height and weight measured?

Most likely, during pregnancy, you have already picked up a pediatrician or other pediatric specialist who will monitor your baby’s health, and the first appointment with a doctor will most likely take place at your home a few days after giving birth or leaving the hospital. Now, at each appointment, the doctor will measure and weigh the baby. the first month of the child’s life, the doctor monitors him weekly, and then monthly, and when the child is one year old – once every two to three months. If your child needs to be seen more often, the doctor will tell you when to come back and when to make an appointment. You can and should ask your doctor about your child’s health. Each appointment with a specialist is another opportunity to make sure that everything is in order and that you are doing an excellent job as a mother.

As a rule, at the appointment, the doctor measures:

• Head circumference. The child’s head is measured with a soft measuring tape along the most protruding parts – from the brow ridges above the ears and to the back of the head.

• Length. Babies rarely lie still, so measuring their body length is not an easy task, but doctors and nurses are great at this. For this, the child is placed on a table or a special stadiometer, the legs are straightened and the length of the body is measured from the top of the head to the heels.

• Weight. You will need to undress or undress your baby, and the doctor will weigh him on a special baby scale.

And here we will tell you what else can be checked at regular examinations:

How to use the child’s growth chart

The doctor will tell you in detail how to interpret the measurement results, and here we will give you some tips on how to use the data in the table … The parameters of children differ depending on gender, so you need to compare the results of your baby’s measurements on a separate table for boys or girls.

Head circumference. At the top of the table is the child’s age in months. Numbers are not supplied for all months, but each month is indicated with a vertical line. On the left are the head circumference values ​​(in inches and centimeters). Find the value you want for your child and mark the intersection of the horizontal and vertical lines. Most likely, this point will be on the chart. Follow the graph line all the way to the right and the percentage group your child belongs to will be shown on a white background.

For example, let’s take a three-month-old girl whose head circumference is 40 cm. The percentage group for this girl is at the 50th percentile, that is, half of all three-month-old girls have a larger head circumference and the other half have a smaller head circumference.

Weight in relation to length. Find your child’s length at the bottom of the grid (in inches and centimeters). On the left side of the grid, mark the child’s weight (in pounds and kilograms). Mark the point of intersection of the horizontal and vertical lines on the graph.Follow the graph line all the way to determine what percentage your child is in.

For example, let’s take a boy weighing 4.5 kg and length 53 cm. This baby belongs to the 90th percentile, that is, 90% of boys of the same length weigh less, and 10% – more.

Length in relation to age. On the left side of the grid, mark the child’s length (in inches or centimeters), and at the bottom of the chart, mark the age in months. Mark the point of intersection of the horizontal and vertical lines on the graph.Follow the graph line to the end – the percentage group will be indicated on a white shaded background.

For example, take a girl 18 months old and 76 cm long. This girl is in the 10th percentile, meaning that 10% of girls of the same age are shorter and 90% are longer.

Weight in relation to age. Mark the child’s weight (in pounds or kilograms) on the right side of the grid and age at the top. Mark the point of intersection of the horizontal and vertical lines on the graph.Follow the graph line to the end – the percentage group will be indicated on a white shaded background.

Take, for example, a boy 12 months old and weighing 10.4 kg. This baby is in the 75th percentile, meaning that 75% of one-year-old boys weigh less and 25% weigh more.

How to interpret the results?

The best way to interpret your baby’s measurements is to trust your doctor. It should be remembered that the tables show the average data for boys and girls, and the range of normal indicators is quite wide.There is no one standard for a particular child, but ideally, the development of the baby in dynamics should correspond to the schedule – height and weight should increase in proportion to each other.

What are percentiles and what do they mean?

The Child’s Height Chart shows which percentile or percentage your toddler is in relative to other children of the same age and gender. Percentiles are presented in the form of graphs. For example, if your child is in the 70th percentile in length for age, that means that 30% of all children of the same sex and age will be longer and 70% smaller.

However, just one indicator does not provide complete information. The pediatrician will compare several different indicators for different periods, track the development trend of the child and compare it with the graph of average values ​​shown in the table.

Try not to worry about a single indicator. The range of normal values ​​for height and weight is wide, and many individual factors affect the development of a child: genetics, environmental conditions, nutrition, activity level and the presence or absence of health problems.The growth spurt also occurs in different children at different times. For example, growth rates for breastfed and bottle-fed babies are slightly but different. As a rule, breastfed babies gain weight more slowly than bottle-fed babies, who have a growth spurt and period of intense weight gain after three months. As for weight, then, as a rule, by five or six months it doubles, and by the year it triples. But it is best to discuss all questions about the growth rate of the baby with the pediatrician.

As the child grows, the size of the diapers changes. To ensure that the diaper fits the baby and does not leak, check the diaper size versus weight chart.

What happens when the child’s growth rate changes?

A change in growth rate is not necessarily a symptom of any disease. Perhaps your baby is just entering a growth phase. However, sometimes such changes may indicate that there are problems that a pediatrician can help you with the cause.For example, if the weight or length of your child has always been more than 40% of other children of the same sex and age, and now it is more than 80%, this may be a signal for the pediatrician: more research is needed to establish the reason for this growth. … Another symptom is uneven growth and weight gain. As a rule, the growth rate of a healthy child who receives a nutritious diet is fairly predictable. Any deviation from this rate can be a sign of nutritional, developmental or health problems for the doctor.And do not be alarmed: the earlier the doctor finds out about these problems, the sooner he will be able to solve them.

What to do if the child’s growth indicators are significantly higher or lower than the average values?

Most children fall between the 3rd and 97th percentile. However, if the child’s growth rates are significantly higher or lower, the cause may be a combination of many factors. For example, the pediatrician usually compares data on other indicators of development and the type of constitution inherited by the child.Some children develop faster, while others develop more slowly, and this is normal. The main thing is not to worry and remember that everything is individual. If your pediatrician thinks your child is overweight or underweight, or is growing too quickly or slowly, don’t hesitate or panic, just follow the doctor’s advice.

Sometimes the height charts are not easy to understand and the measurement results can be confusing. It is best not to compare the baby with others, but to pay attention to the individual characteristics of his growth.If the doctor says everything is okay with the child, there is no reason to worry. Chances are, when you see how much your baby has grown since birth, you will be delighted (and perhaps a little surprised). And if you want to know how babies usually grow and develop, sign up for the monthly newsletter

90,000 joy or cause for concern?

Pregnancy is the most pleasant time to wait for the birth of a baby. During pregnancy, a woman undergoes many examinations, including several planned ultrasounds.On one of these ultrasound, she can hear the following phrase: “Mommy, and your child is a hero!” This means that a large fruit is developing inside you. This is very frightening for many expectant mothers, they begin to worry about how they will give birth, whether they can normally reach the end of pregnancy. Let’s see if it’s worth worrying about this.

Which fruit is considered large?

It is considered the norm if a child is born weighing up to 4 kg and growing from 48 to 54 cm. If at the time of birth the child weighs from four to five kilograms, doctors talk about a large fetus.Although this does not take into account the height of the child. Large babies are also superior in height, it is at the time of birth up to 56 cm.

According to statistics, the number of large children accounts for 5 – 10% of all pregnancies. Doctors believe this is due to improved living and nutritional conditions for pregnant women. Cases of the birth of children weighing more than five kilograms are also known, but they are few in number.

Research methods

At each examination, starting from the 12th week of pregnancy, the doctor detects the baby’s heartbeat, measures the girth of the woman’s abdomen and hips, measures the pressure and weight.All this is done in order to clearly observe the picture of the course of pregnancy and track the health status of the expectant mother and baby.

To make the picture as complete as possible, the doctor can ask about heredity, about family pathologies, about how much weight both parents were born with. From all this, a suspicion of a large fetus can be diagnosed. This can only be confirmed by the result of an ultrasound examination. It will calculate the approximate weight of the baby. The size of the head, circumference and diameter of the abdomen, humerus and femur of the fetus are determined.

Causes of large fruit

In fact, there can be many reasons for the development of a large fetus. Some are hereditary, some may be an echo of a health condition or previous lifestyle. The most likely causes are as follows:

1. Pregnancy lasts longer than expected.

Sometimes the due date of childbirth was set incorrectly, and the baby is born after 10-12 days, but completely healthy. There is also a true prolongation of pregnancy, in which the aging of the placenta is observed, the amniotic fluid becomes grayish, and the child may experience wrinkling of the skin.

2. Diabetes mellitus.

Women with diabetes should be examined more thoroughly during pregnancy than others. Statistics show that such women are more likely to have a large child.

Not later than 32 weeks, such women must be hospitalized in order to be under the constant supervision of doctors. After a thorough examination, a decision is made about the due date. If the fetus is large, and the patient has diabetes, the question arises of artificial stimulation of labor at 36 weeks (not earlier).Doctors can make the same decision if a woman’s condition has worsened, polyhydramnios, gestosis, or a decrease in blood sugar levels are observed. At childbirth, the presence of a therapist is mandatory, who monitors the sugar level, decides on the introduction of insulin.

3. Hemolytic disease.

This disease occurs due to the Rh-conflict between the child and his mother. It can develop due to the negative Rh factor of the mother and the inherited Rh factor of the baby inherited from the father.The child has a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood, jaundice appears, the liver and spleen increase, and fluid accumulates in the body cavity. Because of this, puffiness and excess weight appear.

4. Heredity.

If the parents of the baby are large and tall, then the probability that the baby will be the same is very high. In this case, one should take into account not only how the parents look now, but what they were at the time of birth.

5. Second and subsequent pregnancies.

According to statistics, the second and subsequent children are born with a greater weight than their older brothers and sisters. This is due to the fact that the woman’s body is already ready and trained to bear the fetus (the metabolism between the baby and the mother improves), as well as the fact that the woman is less afraid and worried during the second pregnancy.

6. Nutrition of the pregnant woman.

If a pregnant woman abuses the amount of food rich in carbohydrates (sweet, starchy foods), the child and the mother may become obese.The baby’s body is gaining excess weight, because it is forced to work like a mother’s.

Is there a danger with a large fetus?

The most crucial moment is childbirth. In the process of delivery, carrying a large baby can cause some difficulties that can affect the health of both the baby and his mother.

Sometimes the size of the baby’s head and the mother’s pelvis may not match. It is very difficult for the head of a large child to pass through the birth canal, no matter how strong the labor activity is.A large fetus can cause disruption or termination of labor.

After the birth of the head, problems may arise with the removal of the shoulder girdle. The neonatologist must then check the condition of the baby’s collarbones and arms. A cerebral hemorrhage may occur in a baby due to a mismatch in the size of the mother’s head and pelvis. Natural delivery becomes difficult.

How to avoid danger?

Do not panic when you hear from your doctor that you have a large fetus.Just work with your doctor to determine the cause. You may need constant monitoring in the hospital until the very birth.

If the reason is heredity or a large intake of sweets, the doctor will prescribe a special diet. Food should be wholesome, healthy, but not contribute to weight gain.

The main thing is not to worry and not be afraid of childbirth. Your doctor will discuss the progress of labor with you in advance. A planned cesarean section will be prescribed, depending on the indications, or they will take a wait and see attitude.

If, within four hours of the onset of labor, signs of a discrepancy between the baby’s head and the pelvis are observed, an operation will be urgently performed.

Behavior of a future mother

Expectant mothers should eat well and competently, and this should be done even before the onset of pregnancy, since the child can inherit excess weight. Carefully control the amount of carbohydrates, in the last trimester, their amount should be no more than 400 g.

Do not refuse the help of doctors if pathologies of a large fetus have been established. Treatment can be started already during pregnancy, and this will help to avoid health problems in the child in the future.

The hero inside you is a wonderful baby who simply requires a little more attention, care and love for himself, but in no way a reason for fear, worries and worries.

90,000 WHAT IS THE NORMAL WEIGHT OF A NEWBORN? WEIGHT GAIN RATES FOR BABIES UNDER YEARS | LEARNING, WORKING – NOW I AM A MOTHER

The weight of a newborn baby is an important indicator of its development.Therefore, the first measurement and weighing is carried out immediately or a couple of hours after birth. These indicators are carefully recorded in maternity hospital journals and recorded on a tag on the baby’s handle.
There is a practice of daily weighing infants while they are in the hospital. The medical staff carefully monitors the dynamics of increasing or decreasing the size, takes measures to regulate the data. Then, after being discharged from the hospital, the parents go to the clinic for control weighings and monitor the addition of grams and centimeters by month.

Baby weight at birth

All babies are born with different indicators of height and weight, and the normal weight of a healthy baby at birth is considered to be in the range from 2,700 kg to 3,700 kg. It should be noted that the initial weight of the baby depends on a number of different factors: • The health of the baby. • Heredity. Tall mothers with large weight are more likely to have large children, and vice versa: thin short women give birth to small babies. • Paul.As a rule, boys are always born larger (heavier) than girls. • Nutrition of the mother during pregnancy. With a high-calorie diet of a pregnant woman, the fetus usually gains a lot. • The physical and psychological state of the woman. If a mother is unwell or has lived under stress for a long time during pregnancy, then this may well affect the health and, accordingly, the weight of her newborn child. • The presence of bad habits in a pregnant woman. Of course, a smoker, and even more so one who drinks and uses drugs, may have sick children with insufficient weight.

Weight at discharge

In the first days of life, the infant physiologically loses up to 250 grams. Weight loss is due to several reasons:
• Loss of fluid. When the baby is born, it begins to breathe, and a large amount of fluid escapes through its respiratory system and skin.
• Power supply installation. In the first days, the baby drinks colostrum, and in small portions, until he gets better nutrition, and the mother begins to receive milk.
• Adaptation to living conditions.We know perfectly well that the young seedlings we transplanted from the greenhouse into the garden do not start growing immediately. Likewise, a child, having radically changed the environment at birth, does not immediately get used to living in it.

Thus, weight at discharge differs by about 6-10% from weight at birth. And it is from this, the second, numbers that it is customary to calculate the rates of weight gain for each newborn.

Weight gain

You and your baby were discharged from the hospital and found yourself at home. The kid learned to eat, his digestion and heat and air exchange with the environment are gradually improving, and he begins to grow rapidly.

Weight gain depends on the following reasons:
• Health. If the baby is sick, he eats worse.
• Appetite.
• Type of feeding: breastfeeding or artificial. With bottle feeding, babies tend to gain weight faster.
• The quality and quantity of food (mother’s milk).
• Mobility of the child. A person involved in sports is usually fit.Likewise, an agile child is somewhat thinner than a sluggard.
• Regime of the day and meals. When feeding “by the hour”, the weight grows more slowly than “on demand”.
• Age. In the first months, children grow faster; by the year, growth slows down.
Be that as it may, specialist scientists have established some average conditional indicators of the norms of weight gain in newborn children.

On average, the first six months, weight gain in newborns is 800 grams, and after six months – 400 grams. Therefore, to calculate the approximate weight of a child for a given period, use the following formula:
Body weight of a child up to six months = weight at discharge + 800 x age (months)
For example, a baby was 4 months old, and after birth he weighed 3000 grams … Then the proper weight = 3000 + 800 x 4 = 6200 grams.

To determine the weight after 6 months, we use the following formula:
Body weight of the child after six months = weight at discharge + increase in the first six months + 400 x (baby’s age per month.- 6)
To calculate the addition for the first six months, just 800 x 6 and we get 4800 grams. Use the finished figure to calculate the weight of a baby over six months old.
If the baby is 8 months old, and initially he weighed 2900 grams, then the proper weight = 2900 + 4800 + 400 x (8-6) = 2900 + 4800 + 800 = 8500 grams.

These calculations are approximate, each formula gives a different result. At the same time, the formulas show how much weight to focus on for parents.Nature develops a child according to its own laws, and its mass may well not correspond to the calculated data.

Deviations from the norm

Characteristic marks in the development of the baby are based on the indicators of weight and height. When asked how much a child should weigh at a certain age, your pediatrician or centile tables, developed on the basis of research by WHO doctors, will answer you. In centile tables, indicators of weight norms and deviations in the direction of increase or decrease are presented.

Center charts based on WHO medical research with highlighted “normal” boxes

Centers based on WHO medical research with highlighted “normal” boxes

To estimate your child’s weight or height, measure and weigh their height … Find the age of the baby in the tables, compare with the figure that you measured. In the colored “frame” of the table – indicators of the norm. Everything to the left and to the right is deviations.
For example, your child is 7 months old.Height – 68 cm, and body weight – 8 kg. These numbers fall within the lilac “frame” of the table, and this is the norm.

Infant body mass index is an important indicator of development. With the help of ITM, it is possible to accurately assess whether the height, weight and age of the baby correspond to the monthly standards. The formula for calculating BMI is simple, every parent can cope:
I (index) = M (weight in kg) / H2 (height in cm)

Tables and calculators, including those for checking body mass index (BMI)

Formed conclusions show how the baby grows and gains, and also gives an estimate of weight by months.If you get the average, then the crumbs are in normal development, they have enough nutrition. If the weight is less or more than average, but is consistent with your family constitution, this is also normal. And underweight or even severe underweight, as well as very large weight, speaks of pathology, a specialist consultation is necessary.
It should be noted once again that all indicators are averaged, calculated for the average child. If you get deviations from the norm, do not rush to panic, first show the baby and the calculations to your pediatrician.The doctor will assess the dynamics of indicators, examine the state of the crumbs, make the right conclusions, the right appointments.

Reasons for underweight

According to tables, formulas or using a calculator, you found that your baby is underweight or overweight. This is a signal to parents about nutritional problems. Until the doctor diagnoses hypotrophy, observe the baby. If the baby is inactive, drowsy, sluggish, then it is quite possible that he does not have enough breast milk, and therefore, activity, strength for growth, harmonious development.
Pediatricians distinguish between two reasons for underweight: internal and external. In a normally born child, without anomalies and injuries, internal causes are not considered. And external reasons are associated with a lack of nutrition. Weight loss due to a lack of nutrient intake will be reflected in the newborn’s body by the development of anemia, immune problems and other disorders.
Analyze the reasons why the baby may be underweight for its age, as well as its loss. Or, conversely, too much weight.Perhaps you are under-lactating, your baby is short of milk and is hungry. Perhaps the baby sucks only the front, thin milk. Or maybe you live under constant stress. This feeling is transmitted to the child, and he fights stress with you, spending all his energy on the struggle.

Is there enough food for the child?

To understand why a small child does not gain, how much he needs, whether he has enough food, check his diapers. A well-fed infant stains diapers at least three times a day, and urinates at least 8-12 times.
You can monitor the baby’s nutrition for a maximum of a month. Compare the graph of the dynamics of weight and height, which normally change proportionally. Check if your baby has learned activities and skills that are appropriate for his age.
If, in addition to weight indicators, nothing bothers you in the baby, if the baby is vigorous and active, sleeps calmly, sucks well and poops on time, then underweight may not play a decisive role – you have an absolutely normal child.
If you notice developmental delays, this is important.For example, at 3 months, the baby cannot hold the head for more than 4 minutes, open his mouth when approaching the nipple. Draw conclusions, see your doctor to take action.

Interesting nuances

Remember, boys usually gain weight faster than girls, so you should not compare the first-born son with the second child – a daughter, and run to the pediatrician in a panic that a baby at the same age weighs a couple of kilos less.
Deviations from the norm (mainly in the direction of an overweight) may occur in artificial children.Depending on what kind of mixture they are eating. As a rule, premium blends are more balanced than budget lines, they do not make babies fat.

Health to you and your baby!

Best regards, Elizaveta Brodskaya

Sources used to write this article:

http://mladeni.ru/obshee/kakoy-normalnyy-ves-novorozhdennogo

.ru / children / norma-pribavki-vesa-u-novorozhdennyh /

Why does the baby lose weight in the first days of life

At birth, the baby begins to adapt to the environment.It is at this moment that the so-called transitional, or borderline, states can be observed in him. Weight loss in newborns in the first days of life is just one of these phenomena.

If the pregnancy has passed without complications, then the newborn, most likely, after childbirth will be three or a little more kilograms. However, closer to discharge, many mothers notice that their baby has lost a little weight. And this fact involuntarily causes concern: after all, the rate of development of the baby depends on the body weight. But in fact, there is no reason to worry.Weight loss in newborns in the first days of life is a completely natural process, which doctors call the physiological weight loss of a newborn, if, of course, it occurs within certain limits.

Limits of the norm

Weight loss is associated primarily with the loss of fluid through the skin and lungs during breathing. In addition, after childbirth, the baby’s umbilical cord dries up, urine and meconium (original feces), which have been accumulating all the time of intrauterine development, begin to be released. And since the newborn takes quite a bit of milk from his mother, the volume of fluid received by his body is less than the amount of moisture that he releases.Both the temperature and the humidity in the room where the child is located are very important. Normal indicators are considered to be 18-21 ° C and about 70% humidity. The higher the temperature and the lower the humidity, the more the baby sweats and, accordingly, loses weight.

The maximum decrease in weight can be seen around 3-5 days of age. A loss of 5 to 10% of the original weight is considered normal. Therefore, if at birth your baby weighed 3 kilograms, at discharge he may weigh 150–300 grams less.But if the baby was born prematurely, then at discharge, the weight may go away by 15% of the original parameters. Newborns with extremely low body weight (less than 1 kg) sometimes lose weight by 18%.

How to track changes in weight?

Most often, weight loss is temporary and your child will recover quickly, literally in a few days. But sometimes, causes of weight loss can be a sign of a serious medical condition and require medical evaluation.

It is useful to compare the weighing performance of a doctor with a home scale, because sometimes their readings can differ and it is illogical to compare weighings from different scales, because in this case the results will show changes that simply do not exist.