How to Safely Increase Newborn Baby Weight: Natural Methods and Tips
Understanding Baby Weight: What is Considered Low Baby Weight When a baby is born, the…
Understanding Baby Weight: What is Considered Low Baby Weight
When a baby is born, the most common questions that everybody asks are the sex of the baby and its weight. While they may be asking about the sex simply out of curiosity, weight is asked to understand if the baby is healthy. Body weight is also one of the most important parameters of a baby that are medically noted down for various reasons.
It is a known fact that a couple of days after the baby is born, its weight drops a little. This is quite natural. There is no reason to worry here because within a week or two they start gaining weight again. The normal average weight of a baby born between 37-40 weeks is between 2500gm and 4000gm. Slight variations from this range are also normal. However, huge variation from this could mean that the baby is underweight or overweight leading to certain other medical conditions.
Why Is Adequate Baby Weight Important?
Many times, babies with low birth weights are just fine. However, in some cases, the baby may face one or more medical conditions.
Some of these are:
That is why it is important to get regular checkups with a pediatrician if your baby was born with a low birth weight.
Causes of Low Birth Weight: Factors to Consider
The most common reason that a baby is a low birth is that it did not get the time to grow to its fullest. This means that the baby was born prematurely, that is, before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Apart from these, there are several other causes for a baby to be of low birth weight.
It is therefore very clear that the most significant factor to consider is the pregnant mother’s overall health. It is important not to miss any checkups so that the doctor can keep track of the baby’s and the mother’s health. Although, despite taking perfect care of the mother, the baby can still be of low weight. There are ways to help the baby gain weight.
Safe and Natural Ways to Increase Newborn Baby Weight
Breastfeeding, Proper Latching Techniques, and Responsive Feeding
The only source of nutrition for a newborn baby is through breastfeeding in most cases. Therefore ensuring that the baby latches properly and as soon as possible must be the priority. Breastfeeding at regular intervals should not be compromised. Responsive feeding is the best way of feeding where you watch out for your and your baby’s cues.
Nutrient-Rich Diet for Breastfeeding Moms
This one is a no-brainer. If the baby is getting nutrients through breastfeeding, then the mother has to be healthy. You must ensure a complete and nutrient-rich diet. Many moms stop taking care of themselves once the baby is born. But you have to take care of yourself if you want your baby to be taken care of.
Skin-to-Skin Contact and Baby Wearing
Holding your baby close to your body when you are sitting or lying and babywearing (carrying the baby snuggled up to your chest or back) when you are on the go can be very helpful. Studies show that this improves baby’s sleep, and breastfeeding and helps in growth and weight gain. The added advantage here is that the mom need not necessarily do this. It can also be the dad or any caregiver.
Avoid Smoking and Second Hand Smoke Exposure
If you smoke or are around people who are smoking, avoid both! Not just during pregnancy, but even while you are breastfeeding, you should not be smoking. And is that enough? No, don’t let people smoke in your presence. The effects of such secondhand exposure could be as harmful as smoking.
Manage Maternal Health Conditions
If we haven’t stressed it enough already, here it is again- take absolute care of the mother’s health. Manage maternal health conditions such as nutrition or any chronic diseases like blood pressure, diabetes, etc.
Natural and herbal supplements to Increase Newborn Baby Weight
If even after months of breastfeeding, the baby’s weight gain is not sufficient, you can supplement his diet to improve weight gain. Include fruits like bananas and avocados, full-fat dairy products, olive oil, and high-calorie meat in the baby’s diet wherever possible. Switching to formula can also help the baby to gain weight. Some herbal supplements such as alfalfa, Tuberculinum, Iodium, etc may also be used to improve the baby’s appetite. However, it is always ideal to consult your doctor before trying any of these on your baby.
When to Seek Medical Assistance for Low Birth Weight?
Always! As we mentioned earlier, stay in constant touch with your doctor and get regular checkups at least until the baby is 3 years old. The doctor will be able to keep track of your baby’s weight and other health conditions.
They can also give you appropriate guidance according to your baby’s current weight. Instead of being worried about the comments that visitors make about your baby’s weight, stay ahead of them by consulting your doctor.
Conclusion
To conclude, we would say that there could be several reasons why your baby is underweight. Proper management of diet and health of both the mother and baby can usually help resolve this issue. Sometimes parents feel unnecessarily worried about a child’s weight in comparison to some other children. However, your doctor can help you understand if and why your baby has low weight. They can also guide with natural techniques to improve the baby’s weight. If required, we hope that you now know how to safely increase the weight of a newborn baby.
