Baby weight gain in the first month: this is what you should expect

What is the normal rate of infant weight gain in the first month of his life? And what is considered abnormal when it comes to the weight of an infant? The most important details and information are below.

Baby weight gain in the first month: this is what you should expect

Let us learn the following about the weight gain of the infant in the first month and some important things about the weight of the infant at this age.

Things that affect the birth weight of infants

When the baby is born, the mother may notice that her newborn appears smaller or larger than his peers, but it is normal in many cases that the weight of newborns differs from their peers according to several factors, here is a list of the most important:

The health of the mother during pregnancy, for example, the occurrence of these diseases may affect the birth weight of the child: diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes.

The mothers practice some dangerous behaviors during pregnancy, such as smoking, drinking alcohol.

Maternal weight and maternal diet before and during pregnancy.

Mother’s age and the number of previous pregnancies.

Genes and heredity, for example, the size of both the father and the mother at birth may play a role in the size of their child at birth.

The sex of the fetus. Male babies are often born with a higher birth weight than females.

Pregnancy Duration: It is normal for premature babies to be born with a lower weight than normal.

Pregnancy with twins.

Baby’s health and safety. Some diseases and health problems that may affect the fetus while it is in the womb, such as birth defects, may affect its birth weight.

It is worth noting that the weight of a newborn baby often ranges between 2.5-4 kilograms in children born between 37-40 weeks of gestational age.

Baby weight gain in the first month

When it comes to a child’s weight gain in the first month of his life, the matter may differ from one child to another, but these are some of the things that are expected in general:

1- The infant’s weight loss stage

During the first days after the birth of the child, especially the first three days, the mother may notice a decrease in her infant’s weight at a rate that may reach 5-10%, which is often considered normal, and the reason is often:

The infant’s body gets rid of some of the extra fluid that may have passed from the mother to the fetus through the placenta during childbirth as a result of giving the mother certain types of solutions or injections, such as a back needle.

The infant does not get a large amount of nourishment in the early days because the breasts may not have started the process of producing breast milk yet.

2- The phase of regaining the lost weight

Babies usually begin to gain weight gradually after 5 days of birth, as it takes a few more days for the infant to gain weight so that it returns to what it was when the child was born, and the lost weight is often fully returned to the child and perhaps more with adulthood The first month of the baby’s life is middle.

3- The infant’s weight gain stage

After the completion of the two stages mentioned above, the weight of the infant begins to increase effectively approximately 10-14 days after birth, and the baby’s weight is often increased by 0.9 kilograms by the age of one month.

Things that affect the baby’s weight gain in the first month

Here is a list of some of the things that may affect how quickly a baby gains weight in the first month:

The type of milk: Breastfeeding is usually associated with a slow increase in the baby’s weight, unlike artificial feeding, which may lead to a rapid increase in the baby’s weight.

The health status of the infant: In some cases, the child may be unable to latch onto the nipple or the bottle to get enough milk, as a result of a certain health problem, such as a tied tongue, which may affect the speed of weight gain.

Frequency of feedings and excessive production of breast milk: The baby’s weight loss may be caused by things such as not feeding him enough times a day or lack of milk in the mother’s breast.

When do you have to worry?

If the baby is feeding enough milk and wets the nappy normally several times a day, the reason for the baby not gaining weight in the first month maybe things that require a doctor’s immediate consultation, such as:

Having a certain type of infection or disease, such as urinary tract infections or colds.

Vomiting a lot, which may prevent the body of the infant from benefiting from the milk that he eats.

The infant has a severe sensitivity to a certain type of food that the mother may eat during the breastfeeding period.

Infection of the infant with a type of birth defect, such as cystic fibrosis.

The child does not get enough milk and calories per day.

You should also consult a doctor urgently in the following cases:

The lost weight of the infant does not return even after two weeks of birth.

Feeling weak in the child’s reactions and weakness in the way he responds to everything around him.

Your baby’s weight suddenly drops back down after regaining the weight lost in the early days of birth.

The baby’s thirst and weight gain are very large and rapid for his height and age.

The infant’s inability to latch onto the nipple or bottle for feeding.

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