Baby Weight Gain

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(November 16, 2010)

Baby Weight Gain

The early weeks and months of a new born baby’s life are critical in terms of his/her long term health. Nutrition during the early weeks is very important as it is during this stage that the baby is developing and adjusting to our environment. The long term fitness and health of the baby is determined, to a certain extent, in the first few months of the baby’s life. Baby weight gain is generally very gradual in the first few weeks. “How much weight should a baby gain each week?” is one of the most common questions of new parents.


It is important to understand that each baby is unique and so your baby will not necessarily gain weight according to a baby weight gain chart.

Most mothers choose to breastfeed their babies. This is the healthiest and best alternative for the baby. Babies that are fed on baby formula tend to experience excess baby weight gain as compared to babies who are fed on breast milk. Breast milk is very efficient at providing the required nutrition to the baby without providing unnecessary bulk that causes baby weight gain. Every mother should consult with her child’s doctor when it comes to nutrition and baby weight gain. There are some typical numbers that parents can use to gauge whether their baby is growing properly or not. Both insufficient and excess weight gain can be problematic in the long run for the baby.

On average, a baby should gain between 4 and 7 ounces during the first few weeks up to the 5th week of its life. This stage is usually monitored carefully by the doctor because any deficiency can be detected at this point. Babies then continue to grow by up to 2 pounds a month for the first six months of their lives. This rate then slows to about 1 pound a month after that until the first year is up. One should note that all these figures are average figures for the amount of growth that is expected of a growing baby. There are variations based on race, gender, nutrition and many other factors. As long as the weight gain is close to these figures, the parent should not be concerned. Any rapid or slow growth rate should be checked up on.

There are other factors that can be checked out in conjunction with baby weight gain. Active babies tend to spend more energy as they move about more and are usually leaner than babies with a relaxed pattern of behavior. This is a normal variation. If a baby is extremely laid back and continuously asleep, it may be a sign of some deficiency. An extremely hyperactive baby may also be checked up by a doctor as this could be a sign of excess production of particular hormones. You can also ask your doctor other baby weight related questions like how much weight should a baby gain each month to make sure that you understand baby weight gain.

Advice on Baby Weight Gain

An infant's birth weight is determined by the length of pregnancy, prepregnancy weight of the mother, weight gain during the pregnancy. Genetic influences of the weight gain occur after birth. Infants tend to lose weight during the first few days of life and then it is regained by the 7th to 10th day of life. Infants double their weight by 4 to 6 months and triple it by the age of 1 year. Infants increase the length by 50% during the first year of life and double it by 4 years of age.

If we specifically consider the rate of weight gain then it can be observed as follows:

A weight gain of 5 to 7 ounces (approx. 200 grams) per week for the first month.
A weight gain of 1 to 2 pounds during the first six months.
A weight gain of 1 pound from 6 months to 1 year.

Breast feeding the baby can be helpful in rapid weight gain of the baby. Although formula fed babies also tend to gain weight and that too in rapidly, formula fed babies achieve a plump body where the weight gain is higher than the height gain. Breast fed babies tend to achieve leaner forms where the gain in height is higher than the weight. They tend to burn off the calories faster and are less likely to have problems of obesity later in life.