One major concern that haunts every mother, probably across the globe, is a baby's slow weight gain. Every mother believes that for a newborn, infant or toddler gaining weight is the only sign that shows your baby is growing at the right pace. But in reality every two babies are different and they might gain weight at a different pace. So losing sleep over slow weight gain of a baby because the other baby of the same age is gaining more isn't advisable. 'Every baby grows and shows a particular growth pattern which is plotted in the growth curve, which every paediatrician follows. What is normal for one might not be normal for the other. Also, remember that what the growth chart shows is the average weight of a baby which might not be ideal for every baby,' says Dr Santanu Sen, consultant paediatrician, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai.
Here are a few things you should keep in mind according to Dr Sen, while fretting about your child's weight gain:
Every child is different so don't compare two children's weight gain charts even if they are of the same age.
Every child grows at a different pace. So if your child's growth chart shows 15 percentile of gain during every visit to the paediatrician, it is fine and there isn't any reason to worry.
During the first three months after birth, a baby picks up weight rapidly, like, there is a weight gain of around 2.5 to 3 kilos, which means the baby gains about a kilo every month.
However, in the subsequent months i.e. the fourth, fifth and sixth month the baby might gain anywhere between 500 to 600 gm and yes, that's normal.
On an average, a baby might gain up to six kilos in the first six months.
A baby will triple her weight by the end of one year of age and this is an important milestone to watch for.
In general, if a baby had been putting the weight at the rate of 15 percentile and is consistent in that pattern there is no need to worry. However, if a child has been gaining weight at the rate of 75 percentile and that drops to 15, it is a real cause for worry.
Keep in mind that children do face a growth spurt after two years of age when they are very active and exploring the world on their own. This is the time when they are burning more calories and also gain height. This is also a time when they might look lean and tall. But this is also not a matter to worry about.
What you should be watchful of is if your child is obese or overweight. This is when you need to take steps to save your child from the life-long threat of certain diseases like hypertension and diabetes.
So the bottom line remains that if your child is happy, playful, healthy and gains weight at her own slow pace, there is no reason to lose sleep over it.
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