Why is the baby not gaining weight and what to do?

If a child is not gaining weight, it is necessary first of all to understand the reasons, having previously consulted with a pediatrician.

Weight is a fairly important indicator of a baby's health. However, it should not be forgotten that the growth rate of each baby is extremely individual. The optimal way to determine the growth rate is a special chart, which takes into account such indicators as height, weight, head circumference and age. The chart can be obtained, for example, from a local pediatrician. It is also necessary to take into account that small deviations up or down from the average indicators are a normal natural phenomenon. Only during a preventive examination can the doctor accurately answer whether there is a reason for concern.

Why is my baby not gaining weight?

Children who do not gain weight very well, despite this, can be absolutely healthy. Otherwise, there may be several reasons. In infants, the reason for slow weight gain is often a violation of the feeding regime.

Intestinal diseases can cause poor weight gain because food is not digested properly. A face-to-face consultation with a doctor is necessary for diagnosis.

If a child does not gain weight, this may be a consequence of gastroenteritis (an inflammatory disease of the stomach and small intestine), in which the body loses a large amount of fluid. In such cases, not only does the weight not gain, but on the contrary, it may even decrease.

You should immediately contact a doctor if your child is not gaining weight according to the schedule (the gap with the average is too large); if, in addition to low weight, there are other alarming symptoms - vomiting, fever, which may indicate a protracted infection; if weight is decreasing. If he is lethargic, his reactions are slow, his stool is irregular, the volume of urine is insignificant - this is a serious enough reason to contact a pediatrician.

When breastfeeding, there are several criteria by which you can judge whether your baby is getting enough milk. The first is the frequency of feedings, which should be at least seven to eight times a day. The second is activity and mobility, a healthy complexion. The third is the frequency of bowel movements, on average four times a day. The older the baby gets, the less often he needs to empty his bowels.

Criteria indicating that the child is not gaining weight: daily weight gain of less than eighteen grams, significant lag behind the average weight control chart, too much sleep to conserve energy, dark urine, insignificant urine output, general lethargy.

Up to six months, healthy children usually gain eight hundred grams monthly, and from six months - three hundred to four hundred grams. Children with low birth weight can gain more weight than the generally accepted norm.

If your child is not gaining weight, always pay attention to the general condition of the baby: if he is active, does not look pale and excessively thin, then most likely there is no reason to worry. But if he is gaining less than three hundred grams per month, then you need to find out the reasons for such a shortfall. Here are some possible ones: if you apply the baby to both mammary glands, then it is possible that he is not getting fatty milk; a low hemoglobin level can cause anemia, which in turn affects the rate of weight gain; frequent constipation or, conversely, loose stools can indicate gastrointestinal diseases that provoke significant weight loss; perhaps the baby has worms - to find out if this is true, you need to take a stool test. A general blood test will also help in establishing a diagnosis; neurological problems can also lead to insufficient weight gain in the baby.

Another reason why a child does not gain weight may be the incorrect introduction of complementary foods. At the very beginning of introducing complementary foods, put the baby to the breast for a short time, since even a small amount of mother's milk significantly improves the absorption and digestion of food, as a result of which the baby receives the maximum amount of nutrients. If the baby does not like the taste of complementary foods and refuses to eat them, and he has a gag reflex, you should consult a specialist to correct the diet.

One of the reasons why a baby does not gain weight is that the mother does not have enough milk, which is why the baby is constantly hungry. If there is enough milk, but the baby falls asleep while feeding, it is natural that he does not get the necessary portion, which is reflected in his weight.

If the child does not gain weight, it may be due to an unbalanced diet with insufficient fats, carbohydrates and other essential substances. If the child is no longer a baby, you can add a little butter to the soup or porridge. You should not overuse products containing a large amount of sugar, which has a negative effect on the absorption of nutrients and reduces appetite. If he has a poor appetite, it would be advisable to take vitamin and mineral complexes to improve appetite.

If your child is not gaining weight and there are other alarming symptoms listed above, do not delay visiting a doctor, this will help to promptly identify the causes and eliminate the problem.