When a baby is born, doctors carry out a monthly weighing. It is important that the weight does not have large deviations from the norm (in either direction). But most of all, mothers are worried when a breast-fed baby gains weight poorly. The article discusses the norms of mass in infants, the causes of deviations and ways to solve the problem of underweight.
Signs of underweight in infants
There are no identical children by height and weight. Each has its own genetic predisposition. But doctors have set a framework, deviation from which is already considered a deficit or overkill.
Determine that the child is underweight, by the following criteria:
- the weight of the child is below normal;
- the baby’s skin has an unhealthy appearance: dry, flabby, rather pale, no folds, only wrinkles;
- sluggish motor activity;
- frequent moods;
- intermittent sleep;
- eats little.
But if a newborn baby is not gaining weight well, and at the same time is active, eats with appetite, and he has a normal mood, then there is no reason for concern. Perhaps the baby has such a physique.
And if at least one of the above signs was found, and the pediatrician for some reason did not pay attention to it, then you should check with your doctor about weight information. Be sure to tell what symptoms cause concern. For example, skin condition or poor appetite.
The kid does not eat up
Why does a child gain weight poorly up to a year? There are various reasons. Let's look at them. Perhaps the baby is not full. This happens in the following situations:
- some young mothers are not able to give the baby the right breast. As a result, the crumb is uncomfortable to suck, he quickly gets tired and does not have time to eat up;
- uncomfortable posture. The child is uncomfortable;
- There are parents who listen to grandmother’s notations and feed the child on time, and not when the baby asks to eat. Withstand the period of feeding. During crying, the child also gets tired and again lacks the strength to satisfy his hunger;
- Mom decided to remove the night feeds. But this is done wrongly and not by age;
- the baby is premature, and he does not have enough strength to suckle. A fully sucking reflex may not yet be developed. Or not all organs of the gastrointestinal tract have matured, and there is an incomplete assimilation of milk;
- lack of milk production, or it is too liquid (not enough fat, satiety). Mom can monitor her figure and eat light foods, as a result, the milk will be empty and unable to saturate the baby. Although the amount of milk may be enough.
Incorrect mixture
Incorrect feeding mixture may be selected if the baby is not on natural feeding. It happens that the body does not absorb lactose or one of the components of the mixture. Then only a doctor can choose the right replacement for nutrition.
Incorrect feeding
A child from six months old needs to be fed. Young mothers may just do it wrong. Or they hope more for additional food and begin to apply less to the chest. Or they are fed with fruit purees alone, which weaken the body, and from them the weight gain will be small.
Disease
The child may have been seriously ill and during this time spent a lot of energy to recover or ate poorly. Maybe there are already chronic diseases of the digestive tract. As a result, the baby eats poorly or refuses to eat. Also, the baby may not gain weight for the following reasons:
- malfunctioning of the thyroid gland;
- diabetes began to develop;
- anemia began to develop.
Stomatitis or other diseases in the oral cavity can lead to weight loss. Even teething can cause loss of appetite and weight.
Physical stress
For example, to improve the development of the child were assigned: gymnastics, massage or swimming. A child spends a lot of energy on them. Even just psychological stress can cause weight loss.
Worms
It is possible that parasites, such as worms, have settled in the child's body. They absorb all the beneficial substances, and the child begins to experience underweight.
Excessive activity
Excessive activity of the child does not allow fat to be deposited. Children up to a year have practically no reserves of their own, so the child takes all the energy spent per day from the diet received per day. That is why he loses weight, loses his folds when he begins to crawl and walk.
Mom's bad habits
Alcohol and smoking negatively affect the taste and benefits of milk. Milk from such a mother will not be nutritious and will taste unpleasant. Therefore, if the baby even sucks, then a big increase will not work.
Also, poor climatic conditions can lead to the fact that the child will slowly gain weight. In the heat, an adult eats poorly. And children are even more sensitive to temperature extremes.
But if the child is 2 months old, is gaining weight poorly, is naughty and does not sleep well, then this is an occasion to contact a pediatrician. Perhaps you need to change the diet of the mother (if the baby is breastfeeding) or change the mixture. In any case, you need a pediatrician consultation.
What is the danger of underweight?
Doctors do not just follow the weight gain of the baby every month up to 1.5 years. If the body does not have sufficient body fat, then with an increase in motor activity, the child will simply have nowhere to take extra energy from. In this case, the baby will either eat more or weaken greatly due to lack of energy.
When a child gains weight poorly, women write in reviews that this way the following diseases can manifest themselves:
- frequent colds. Runny nose and cough can become chronic;
- digestion problems. Abdominal pain, loose stools, constipation;
- low blood iron;
- rickets;
- improper skeleton formation. Spinal curvature, flat feet and so on.
And these are only the main diseases. The very first thing that affects the small mass of the child is immunity. When it is weakened, then all diseases stick to the fragile body of the baby.
How to determine a baby’s low weight?
When a baby is poorly gaining weight, it does not always indicate problems. A kid can be just very active, or such a physique is the norm for a genetic predisposition, or maybe just a poor appetite.
Most accurately, only the pediatrician can determine whether the weight corresponds to the age of the child. This is done with the following procedures:
- Examination of the physique of the child, the condition of the skin and the study of the general well-being of the baby.
- Measuring height to weight ratio.
- Analysis of feces and urine will show the digestibility of the consumed products and the work of the digestive tract.
- The pediatrician will interview parents: about the baby’s behavior, their nutrition (how much and how much they eat), whether the diseases were transferred this month, how the baby sleeps.
To determine the lack of mass, you can additionally on the table of norms of weight and height. If there is a strong deviation, then the pediatrician will already find out the reason why the monthly child is not gaining weight well and will prescribe treatment.
Average weight gain by month of child development
It is on these indicators that pediatricians most often rely. And also on the table showing how much the child should weigh and what should be the average height for a given age.
The average increase in infants by months of development:
- For the first thirty days, the child loses weight in the first week, and then there is mass gain. Usually it is 600 g.
- For the second and third month, the increase is 800 g.
- For the fourth and fifth months, the increase is already 700 g.
- For the sixth month, the child adds 650 g.
- In the seventh month of life, the increase should be 600 g.
- For the eighth and ninth month, the increase will already be 500 g.
- For the tenth month, an increase of 450 g.
- For the eleventh - 400 g.
- For the twelfth - 350 g.
After reaching six months, weight gain is reduced. Since the baby begins to sit down and tries to crawl, then walk. But if the child is 1 month old, gaining weight poorly and the number is many times different from the norm, then you should immediately look for the reason for the weight loss and begin treatment.
When taking into account the average data on the increase, one should take into account both the growth of the child and the indicators at birth. Large children will increase weight faster than small children.
Decantation
If an infant is gaining weight poorly, what should be done and how to deal with it? If the problem is not serious, then it can be solved at home. If the reason is banal (the baby just does not eat up), then there are no difficulties. When the baby just does not have enough strength to suckle, it is possible (for a while) to express milk and feed from a bottle. It is important to express, and not translate into mixtures.
Be sure to ensure that the baby is comfortable in the feeding process. Feed the baby at least up to 6 months of age on demand, and not on schedule. Already after the introduction of complementary foods and a stable increase, you can switch to feeding on time.
Supplement breastfeeding or change mixture
If the problem is an insufficient amount of milk, you can feed with mixtures. Drink lactogon tea, review mom’s diet. After each feeding, express milk, even if one drop is left there. This stimulates an increase in the amount of milk.
Perhaps it is necessary to change the mixture (for artisans), if the alleged cause is in it. But if the increase is not observed, then look for the cause further, so it’s not a mixture.
Pay attention to the menu and physical activity.
Although the child begins to add less after six months, it is also necessary to find out whether this was a consequence of incorrectly introduced complementary foods. Perhaps new products were quickly introduced in large numbers. Maybe there is little meat, but more fruit puree.
It is also possible that the baby's gastrointestinal tract is not yet ready for work. Then it should be fed a special diet, where there is more glucose. If a child gains weight poorly after the introduction of physical exercises, massage, then you need to reduce the load and time.
Check your baby for hidden ailments
Be sure to check the child for hidden diseases. Perhaps these or other products are not properly digested. Problems with the microflora in the digestive tract, diseases in the oral cavity and so on. You should also check for worms.
Also make sure that your teeth are not cut. If the problem is in them, then the use of painkillers is sufficient. Then the appetite will return.
If the mother is to blame for the poor weight gain (smokes, drinks alcohol, and so on), then the child should be transferred from breastfeeding to the mixture. Do not poison the fragile body.
Excessive Nutrition
With excessive activity, it is necessary to ensure that the child's food is more satisfying. Choose food with a higher fat content (but within normal limits). If the baby eats only breast milk, then begin to introduce complementary foods, mix and mother to eat more nutritious food. Mom always has time to lose weight, the child’s health is more important.
Genetic predisposition
Why is a baby not gaining weight well? In the reviews, women write that perhaps the reason is a genetic predisposition. Even if the parents are not thin at the moment, this does not mean that in childhood they were also full. Perhaps in infancy they also had a lack of weight. This information can be checked with their parents.
If it turns out that the reason for the underweight in the genes, then it will not work with them. Do not feed the baby and spoil his digestive tract. Overeating for crumbs is a big burden on the digestive organs.
Advice
Be sure to ask the pediatrician, because of which the child is gaining weight poorly than to feed him better. Perhaps, complementary foods in the form of cereals prepared on their own will be enough.
Be sure to try to feed breast milk as long as possible (at least up to a year). It helps to maintain the health of the child and protects against diseases. Up to a year is normal if the child eats at night. Do not limit it in this. For feeding, a special corner should be allocated (from birth), where nothing distracts from eating.
What should not be done?
What should parents not do when a breast-fed baby gains weight poorly? Listen to the advice of grandmothers and acquaintances. A thin baby is not a cause for concern. Do not overfeed the child. The only things that can be achieved are nausea and vomiting. Since the stomach can not accommodate more food than it should be.
Often, mothers complain that the child on the GV is gaining weight poorly. Komarovsky advises to see a doctor at the first sign, to conduct a full examination of the baby. Since the cause of weight loss can be serious problems.
Conclusion
It is important for parents to know that if a baby is poorly gaining weight, it may not necessarily be due to poor nutrition. Although most often the reason is this. First of all, you need to check how the food is absorbed in the baby. Is there anemia? With this disease, the child may stop weight gain altogether.
But if the baby is healthy, cheerful, active and has no problems with sleep, then most likely he has such a constitution, do not sound the alarm. If in doubt, you just need to contact a pediatrician. He will check how the increase is going.