After receiving your new bundle of joy, one of the most important concern as a parent is ensuring that their baby is thriving well in his new environment. How your baby gains weight is an important clue to help you in determining if your little one is doing well after birth.
When determining baby weight gain it is essential for you to watch out for any signs that may indicate poor weight gain. However, you will need to take into account that babies gain weight differently.
Baby’s birth weight does not affect how they gain weight in the coming months. For example, a newborn weighing five pounds can be 18 pounds in one year or a newborn weighing six pounds may as well be around 16 pounds in a year’s time.
How your baby gains weight will hugely depend on his/her individual pattern, how long and how frequently they nurse. Thus, you can monitor baby weight gain by keeping track of the number of times you feed your baby and also the length you are likely to take. This can help you to establish whether your baby is eating enough over a certain period of time.
While doing this, you should also observe how much is going out. The frequency of how your baby produces dirty or wet diapers can also help you determine baby weight gain. The quantity and frequency is also different for newborns and older babies.
You need not be alarmed about your baby’s weight. Always look out for any signs that may indicate poor baby weight gain. A visit to your doctor is one sure way of knowing just how well your baby is gaining weight.