Norms of weight gain in newborns by month in the first year of life

In the first year of a child's life, weight gain is of particular importance. The baby's weight is measured regularly - every month. Thanks to measurements, it is possible to track possible deviations from the norm in the child’s development. Today we will figure out what the norm is for the weight of newborns by month.

WHO believes that body weight (for a full-term baby) is considered normal, falling within the range from 2500 to 4500 g. But parents should understand that digital weight indicators in this matter are rather indicative in nature and as for newborn children, there are significant individual differences in body weight.

After physiological weight loss that occurs during the newborn period, the average weight gain in infants is:

from 0 to 3 months – 750 g per month (about 25 g per day);
from 3 to 6 months – 600 g per month (about 20 g per day);
from 6 to 9 months – 450 g per month (about 15 g per day);
from 9 to 12 months – up to 300 g per month (about 8-10 g per day).

Above are average indicators that can be observed in only 40% of infants. In the first month of life, most babies gain only 500-600 g of weight; in the second month it can reach 800 g, and in the third month – 1000 g (about 30 g per day).

Average rates of weight gain and height in children 1 year of age

After birth, the child’s digestive system develops: metabolism normalizes, as well as heat and air exchange. All these metamorphoses allow the child’s body to gain the weight necessary for further development and growth.

Table of approximate weight gain in children from birth to one year

Information about the rate at which a baby’s weight increases will primarily be useful to those who monitor their child’s weight at home using scales.

An approximate calculation of the body weight of a child under 1 year old at home can be determined using the formula:

M (kg) = m + 800n, where m is the child’s body weight at birth, M is the child’s body weight, n is the child’s age in months.

Table of approximate height increase in children of the first year of life

The approximate calculation of the body length of a child up to the age of 3-4 years can be calculated using a simple formula:

L (cm) = 100 – 8(4 – n), where L is the baby’s body length, n is the child’s age in years.

Newborn weight gain by week

Weekly rates of weight gain in newborns depend on a number of factors. The most fundamental are 4 types:

the child's health status;
healthy appetite;
chosen type of feeding;
daily amount of food consumed, etc.

The most active weight gain in children under one year old occurs in the first eight weeks of life.

Infant weight at discharge

The first few days of a baby's life are accompanied by slight weight loss, which often causes concern among parents.

It is worth remembering that such fluctuations in body weight are normal and there are reasons for this:

slight loss of fluid through the skin - the newborn actively works with the respiratory system, which leads to loss of fluid, and therefore weight.
transition to a new diet - after birth, the child consumes maternal colostrum from the breast in small quantities, which contains enough nutrients for rapid weight gain. Until the mother's lactation improves, the process of mass replenishment will proceed very slowly;
adaptation to new living conditions - the child literally experiences stress, as his “habitat” radically changes.

Weight gain in infants by month: summary table

So, here is a table of weight gain in newborns by month.

Note that about 10-15% of children have weight parameters that do not fit the data given in the table. Lack of weight coupled with height, or excessively rapid weight gain may well cause concern among parents. In these cases, it would be best to seek advice from a specialist who can give professional advice.

Baby weight loss rate

Previously, we looked at the reasons for weight loss, which are physiological, that is, completely normal, there is no pathology in this. The rate of weight loss in newborns is 5-7% during the first days after birth. In this case, there is no need to take measures to gain weight and worry about it. The child will certainly regain his body weight fairly quickly, within two weeks. Doctors also claim that the percentage of weight loss in a newborn may be higher. A loss of up to 10% of total body weight will not be considered a pathology, but the baby still needs to be monitored to prevent dehydration. Pay attention to the condition and color of your skin. In the first days after birth, the baby does not feed on milk, but on colostrum - this is a substance that is secreted by a woman before milk, it is also nutritious and beneficial for the child.

If the loss of body weight exceeds the indicators presented above, you must consult a doctor and undergo an examination. As a result, the cause of weight loss will be revealed, treatment will be prescribed, and a complex of vitamins will be prescribed to restore the child’s body.

Improper care of a newborn

The above signs do not always carry severe pathologies, but are a consequence of poor-quality care for the newborn. Frequent and severe regurgitation, which affects weight loss, is provoked by improper breastfeeding by the baby’s mother. Mothers who have given birth for the first time do not know how to breastfeed a newborn, as a result of which air enters the stomach along with the milk, which leaves the stomach along with the milk eaten. In this case, the mother should consult a specialist. If a newborn does not sleep well and is often capricious, this may be due to hunger after excessive regurgitation. The second reason for poor sleep is the lack of exposure to fresh air, which a child needs for a good appetite and sound sleep, so you should walk with your baby in any weather. Slow growth is due to genetic predisposition or lack of nutrition. Not wanting to breastfeed may be due to poor nutrition of the mother herself, who does not follow a diet and eats foods that change the taste of milk.

Please note: First of all, the above reasons are the reason for the loss of body weight of the newborn and its slow gain. In the case when all recommendations are followed accurately and efficiently, and the newborn is not gaining weight well, it is necessary to conduct an examination to exclude infectious lesions and pathology.

There are norms for weight gain in newborns developed by WHO and the World Health Organization. In their opinion, the first 4 months of life are considered the active period. Every month a baby can gain up to 2 kg and this will be normal. After 4 months, the activity of weight gain decreases, and the norm becomes 500 g. The older the child becomes, the less weight he gains. The baby begins to grow taller, his chubby cheeks deflate a little, so weight gain can no longer be active here. It is impossible to prevent weight loss, but with proper care and mother's care, infants quickly recover and weight loss will be small. Discharge from the maternity hospital should not be overshadowed by the grams not gained. At home, with proper care and sufficient feeding, the newborn will gain them unnoticed.

Preventing weight loss

To prevent weight loss in a newborn, you must adhere to the following rules:

Learn the breastfeeding procedure.
Provide proper child care.
Make sure that the temperature and humidity in the nursery meet the standards.
Identify symptoms of the disease in a timely manner and begin adequate treatment.
Follow the diet (both yours and your child’s).
Maintain a favorable emotional environment in the family.
Feed the baby for as long as he needs.
Do not overheat the child.
Give your baby more liquid (between feedings).

There are many reasons why a child’s weight decreases in the first days after discharge from the hospital. However, most of them are of a natural physiological nature; in such cases there is no reason to worry. At the same time, it is important to be able to identify signs of pathological weight loss in order to begin treatment as early as possible. Also, do not forget about compliance with preventive measures and regular visits to the pediatrician.

How to lose less fluid

Often, not only physiological processes in a newborn lead to weight loss - improper care, which results in a lot of fluid being lost, can lead to some complications.

To avoid these problems, the following recommendations must be followed:

Stick to your diet. In the first days, the newborn should be attached to the breast as much as he requires. Lack of nutrition leads to a long recovery of fluid in the body, as a result of which weight will slowly gain. It should be applied to the chest every 20 minutes.
Maintain temperature conditions. A room that is too warm will cause your newborn to sweat more and can cause more weight loss. Therefore, you should keep the room temperature no higher than 22 degrees.
Maintain humidity conditions. Low humidity in the room provokes increased sweating in the baby and loss of fluid from the body. The humidity in the room should be at least 50%.
Monitor your newborn's stool. If the stool is thick, it is necessary to give the newborn more clean boiled water. It is very important to follow this point if the child is bottle-fed. In this case, you should give water between feedings.

It is necessary to dress your child in accordance with the temperature of the room or as you dress yourself. A loss of body weight in a newborn of more than 10% is manifested not only by measurements on the scale, but also by such signs of dehydration as a feeling of thirst, red mucous membranes, pale skin, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, as well as restlessness and irritability of the baby.

A little about the norms

Having undergone childbirth, babies find themselves in completely different conditions to which they were before. The temperature is much colder than in the mother's stomach. New sensations appear, sound and visual, gentle touches and the presence of gravity - everything that did not exist in the previous world. Newborns develop a new type of breathing and digestion. Parents should know how much weight the child loses in the first days after birth, so as not to be in a restless state - often a young mother experiences a decrease in lactation, and this is unacceptable.

In the first days of life, a newborn baby loses on average up to 8-10% of its weight, regardless of the baby’s gender and its initial weight. If the average weight of a child is 3.2 kg, then he should lose weight by no more than 320 grams, then the norm will be 2880 g. If the newborn loses more weight than the specified norm, doctors should pay attention to this. The baby's weight gain should be at least 125 g per week - based on the measured indicators, doctors determine the woman in labor for discharge or for further treatment.

Acceptable indicators

If a woman’s pregnancy proceeded normally, there were no complications or premature birth, the baby’s weight will probably range from 3 to 3.5 kg. By the end of the hospital stay, every mother will notice that the child has lost weight. We looked at the fact that this is a completely normal phenomenon, and in the form of percentages we established what weight loss is normal.

Let's consider the limits of normal weight loss in newborns at discharge using specific numerical indicators. During the first 3-5 days, the baby's body weight may decrease by 150-300 grams, depending on environmental conditions and initial birth weight. If the baby was born premature, then weight loss can be 15-18% of the total body weight. The boundaries increase if the birth was protracted or the child received a birth injury.

Normal weight of newborns

What time should you put your baby to bed at night?

To find out whether the child is developing correctly, it is necessary to weigh the baby regularly. The most active weight gain occurs in the first 4 months of life (up to 2 kg per month). Subsequently, the increase is significantly reduced and amounts to about 0.5 kg per month.

Boys

Weight standards for boys

Girls

Weight standards for girls