Monitoring Your Baby’s Weight Gain In The First Year

June 15, 2015

If you are a new mom, everything from your baby’s feeding pattern to her milestones and cries, puts you under a lot of stress. And while doctors say that weight gain is not the right way to track the health of a baby, many mothers are worried about their baby’s growth, especially in the first year. (Also Read: The New Mom’s Guide To Tackling Everyday Baby Troubles)

That said, how much weight your baby gains through the first year, depends on a lot of factors:

Whether you have a pre-term, or a full-term baby.
The body type of the parents.
If it’s a single birth, or twins.
Girls are mostly born smaller than boys, but the difference is minimal.
The overall health and nutrition of the mother during pregnancy.
The baby’s medical health during pregnancy.
Whether the baby is breast-fed or formula-fed.

A breast-fed baby’s growth depends a lot on the mother’s diet as well. Here’s what you should eat to ensure your baby is getting the right nutrition.

Tracking Your Baby’s Weight
Always remember every infant grows at their own pace. While some babies gain weight faster, it may take some time to show among others. Also, some babies could have growth spurts or fluctuations in the rate at which they gain weight.

On an average, babies double their birth weight by 4 months, triple by 12 months, and will be around four times their birth weight in 2 years. They grow most rapidly between 2 weeks to 6 months of age, and slow down as they get active. Though it is not possible to give a clear guideline of how much weight your baby will gain in the first year, here is an average tracking line you can use as reference:

1. From Birth To 1 Month:
On an average, a newborn will gain about 2/3^rd to an ounce each day. It is perfectly normal for your baby to lose some weight (10 percent) in the first few days after birth. However, your baby will regain this weight in a week or 10 days.

2. From 1 Month Till 4 Months:
Your baby will gain about 1½-2lb each month.

3. By 6 Months:
By now, your baby’s weight will be double of the birth weight.

4. By 12 Months:
Your baby’s weight will now be three times the birth weight.

Always remember that bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better, and if your baby is otherwise quite active and eating well, there’s no reason to worry. Ensure regular pediatrician visits and proper nutrition to see that your baby gets the best care possible.

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