A newborn baby is a small and fragile man. Parents, especially young ones, are always concerned about his health and development. And in the early days together it can be so difficult to decide what can be considered the norm, and what goes beyond its framework. And the baby, in fact, is only capable of eating and sleeping now. Therefore, the question is so exciting: "How much should a newborn gain weight?" Only this indicator can help a young mother to make sure that she is doing everything right.
Newborn weight
It is considered normal if a full-term baby at birth weighs from 3 to 4 kilograms. Boys are usually a little heavier than girls. Children less than three kilograms are considered lightweight, they will gain weight a little faster. A baby more than four kilograms will be considered large and, accordingly, can put on weight a little slower.
How much should a
newborn gain in weight every month
There are certain standards that doctors - pediatricians and parents are guided by when determining the developmental parameters of the baby. In the first month of life, children increase their weight by about a kilogram, but an increase from 500 g to 1.5 kg is considered acceptable. In the second and third months, approximate figures that determine how much a child should put on weight are 700-800 grams, and then up to a year - about 500 grams. Small children increase their weight faster, and large children can undercove. Thus, the daily weight gain of a newborn baby should be approximately 20 grams.
What weight gain should be considered normal
However, it must be borne in mind that a newborn is, first of all, a small person with his own special organism. Each of them has its own character, and it manifests itself already in the manner of eating. Some babies eagerly pounce on food, suck so that they even choke. And others take a breast or a pacifier reluctantly, suck slowly, can sleep and eat again. Therefore, the specific values of normative indicators, how much a newborn should put on weight, may differ. There are babies who do not close their eyes if they are not fully satisfied, and those who can sleep peacefully without even eating enough. But usually a hungry baby becomes restless, he wakes up before the usual feeding time and begins to cry. This must be reported to the pediatrician, who will examine the baby and reassure mom, give the necessary recommendations. Do not be scared and start immediately feeding a crying baby with a mixture, fearing that he is malnourished. Firstly, breast milk is an indispensable source of vitamins and other beneficial substances, and secondly, crying can be caused not only by hunger. It is better to try to put the baby to the chest more often, when feeding, give him both one and the second breast. The female body is designed in such a way that it adapts itself to the needs of a small person, it is important just not to interfere with this process. And, of course, a calm and friendly atmosphere will help to establish the process of lactation. Therefore, experts do not advise too restless mothers to often use scales for newborns, otherwise each weighing can turn into new stress for them. It is necessary to trust your baby more and not to forget that only a specialist can decide how much a newborn should put on weight.
When it comes to a child, it can be very difficult to determine what can be considered the norm. And you should focus here primarily on his well-being. If the baby is cheerful, sleeps well, there is no reason to believe that he is malnourished. Then the problem of how much a newborn should gain weight is not very relevant.