Do you know the best part being a blogger for me ? The comments and the mails you sent me. Poor weight gain in babies is a major concern among many parents and I get a lot of mails on that topic.
Though I have written 2 posts earlier on the weight loss of babies and foods to increase weight of babies, I thought of writing a post again on the poor weight gain in babies. I have termed it as shocking or surprising reasons as it won’t be noticed generally or are ignored in real life scenarios. But yes very valid and plays a crucial role in the weight gain.
No, I am not trying to portray that these 3 reasons are the cause of your baby’s inadequate weight. If you are following these, please try to alter and I guarantee you can see an improvement in your baby’s weight and digestion. So let’s begin with the 3 reasons for weight loss in babies.
3 Reasons (Which are Ignored) for Poor Weight Gain in Babies
1. BATHING RIGHT AFTER FEEDING
Do you bathe your baby soon after feeding ? If yes it’s time to change that habit.
FACT : When a baby is fed , it takes time to get digested just like an adult’s body.
If he / she is bathed right after the feeding session, it cools off the body slowing down the digestion process. This inturn leads to slower metabolism in babies.
Constipation,vomiting, indigestion, gas are some of the results of this bathing right after feeding .
This eventually leads to the lesser or low weight in babies. Sounds so irrelevant , but yes plays a very crucial role in the digestion process of a baby.
Its always better to first bathe the baby and then feed or provide food so that the nutrients are well absorbed or digested well.
- BREASTFEEDS OR GIVING WATER BEFORE MAIN MEALS
This is applied in the case of 6M+ babies.
FACT : Breast milk can fill up the baby’s tummy if given before a main meal leading to less intake of food by the baby (say 2-3 teaspoons only).
Same is the case with water. Water if fed before a main meal, fills up the baby’s tummy thereby reducing the food intake .
In worst cases , babies vomit if they are force fed .
Water should be given to babies at the end of the meal. It can also be fed in between meals . But water at the start of the meal is a big NO NO !
- LONG GAP BETWEEN MEALS
This is one of the main reasons for weight loss in babies.
FACT : Long gap between meals develop gas in babies, thereby bloating her tummy for hours .
This in turn leads to rejection of food by babies causing less nutrition gain and eventually weight loss.
Long gap between meals can also lead to indigestion and constipation in babies.
A baby should be fed within 30 minutes of waking up – either a glass of milk / breastfeeds / a fresh fruit. The ideal gap between meals for a baby is 3 to 4 hours.
If you are taking care of the above 3 steps , don’t worry at all.
If not, please take care of it and see the progress in your baby’s weight and metabolism levels.
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32 Comments
Dear Sangeeta
Thank you soo much for this information about children’s one thing I want to know about my baby health give me suggestions above mentioned things all are am not follow to my baby but one thing I observed clearly my baby age is 1 1/2 year old but Wight is 7.5 kgs only but my babye is very healthy any problem in future that’s why am not refer any out side food when pediatrician checks my babye not recommend any food also give me any suggestions to my kid .
Thank you
I have a 6 months old son and i want him to gain a little more weight
My son is 2 years old and his weight is 8.6kgs and his height is 81.28 cm. At the time of birth his weight was 2.9kgs. I still breast feed him. He is active Masha Allah. But still my doctor and all other people including my family members say that he is very weak and under weight… m always in tension because of this. Is his weight and height fine according to his age?
hello mam,
i blessed with a baby girl now she is 11month old. but still is only 6 kg. help me to increase her weight.
Hai iam 2 years baby boy he is very active in playing games when he wake up almost 3_4 hours playing day by day he loss weight also his birth rate 3.200 gibt still het weight mot cross 1o kg what I do for his weight gain tell me
Hi I am a mother of 2.5 year old girl. Her weight is 9.6 kg. She has constipation. When we ask doctor about her weight gain, he says that she is fine. Not to worry. She inheriting weight from me and height from her father. She is tall so looks skinny. She is a fussy eater. She eats properly only if she wants, otherwise denies. I still breastfeed her. During night, she wakes up every 2 or 3 hours and ask for feeding. She wakes up more in the night and sleeps in the day time. Is her sleeping pattern affecting her weight? Can you help me out as the next year her schooling will start? I am very much worried about her weight.
Hi ..I’m a new mom to a 6.5 month angel. I’m bfeeding her so far and was asked to start on solids 2 weeks ago. I invested in the Phillips Avent steamer blender since it’s quicker faster and I work from home. I tried carrot, sweet potato, banana purees and in desperation even rice flavor cerelac; my RD just refuses to open her mouth so much that we end up shoving half a teaspoon and she ends up crying loudly she has doubled her birth weight and the ped said she was fine. but I’m really stressed and worried. she only loves to drink water . .refuses to have anything else and jams her mouth. please suggest any solutions. I’ve tried bowls cups..even my finger to feed her ..spaced her feeds kept her hungry ..nothing seems to work
My son is 11month but under weight, he weight 7.4g, what should i do? A worried mum.
Hi Sangeetha, myself innni
My daughter is preterm..born at 32 weeks….birth weight is 1.6.now she is 8 months 10 days….her weight is now 6.5…she looks lean..I’m depressed and worrying get lot…started giving food,apple carrot potato and rice…no improvement…she don’t like drinking milk…and she not moving from stomach…she is very active..help me to make fat…
i guess nt to warry about the wt gain if there are no other health issue..if the baby is active then no point to think about….you have to accept your baby is healty thin one…
Hai! I need your hepl pls. my baby is 8 months and her weight is 6.3. im worried cos she dont like eating. and I Dont hv enough breast milk to satisfy her. she even dont like formula milk. it really stesses me
What was her birth weight Joana? Is she happy and active?
My baby is 11 months and his weight is only 9 kg
What should I give him to increase weight and in how many intervals
Heena, what was his birth weight? You can check these 15 foods which will help in weight gain: https://bumpsnbaby.com/top-15-foods-weight-gain-babies-kids/
Hope this helps.
Hi Sangeetha. Am very much impressed to c ur blog.Such an informative one! Kudos to u!! Am lil concerned about my daughters weight. She was born 23 days early frm her due date.she was 2.3kg during birth. Now shes gonna complete 6 months in one week! Shes 5.9 kgs now. I am exclusively breastfeeding her and planning to start with solids within one or two days.shes tooo lean when compared to babies born a few days later than her also..am so depressed. I want to make her plumpy somhow..Pls tellme which food should b given so that she puts on weight easily. Thanku Sangeetha..waiting for ur reply… by the way am also mallu 😉 keeep up ur great work dear 🙂
Samiiraj, your baby’s weight is apt. Why depressed about that? She was a preterm baby too hence she will be on the leaner frame. Ideally a baby should be twice the birth weight by 6 months, so your baby is having a good weight.
Never ever compare your baby to another. We are all different, so are the babies too:)
If your baby is active and happy, why the need for plumpiness or chubbiness? Give the foods she likes and that is more than enough.
Thanku so much…
Hi Sangeetha,
My son is 33 Months old i.e close to 3yrs. I have a problem with my kids weight. I cannot say that he is not eating properly but he looks lean. He don’t like eating Curd and Cheese which is a concern.
He dint stop Breastfeeding yet. We almost tried all the ways to stop that. Once in the night before sleep he will definitely have breastfed milk.. Is this the reason for not gaining weight. Pls help me to understand.
Please suggest me how to come out from this..
Sangeetha,
I like your website and its very helpful for mamy moms.. especially staying abroad.
Please reply to me message which i sent youJuly 15 8:29Pm
Sangeeta .. Ur website is very helpful for new mommy like me… I would like to know about potty training my son
HI Sangeeta ,
First of all , i must say your website is too good with lot of information for newly mothers .
My son is now 11 months old , he is very active but intake of food is very less . We is to give him brown rice , Kooravu or Navadanyam in alternative days , Cerelac twice in a day , fruits etc etc . Since last couple of days he is not taking food properly especially rice , he is not having rice at all . His weight is now 8.5 kg only .
Feeding was stopped when he was at 3 months due to unavilibility of milk , since then we are giving him powder milk . He likes milk . Can you please advice how we can imporve his appetite . Why he is not having rice & food now days , does there is any warms or any other probs troubling him . your valuble advice will give us some sort of relax .
Hi sangeetha,
my son is 21 months old,he is not eating properly,I saw yr food chart for 2 year old, just want to know the time gap b/w breakfast and snack time and gap b/w snack and meals, you did not include milk ,.directly should I give him breakfast ot after drinking milk I have to give the breakfast, or no need to give milk, my son is a picky eater,if I give him anything in a short gap means he does not eat… can you explain in detail sangeetha….
Sheeba , add the milk in his porridge in the breakfast. Give milk right after the breakfast is over. Then after a gap of 3 hours give him a light soup or fruit. Then again a gap, give lunch -gap – evening snack with/w/o milk – gap- dinner . Hope this helps.
Very nice of making this website and my baby was 1and half yrs old whn ever he eat something he get motion within half an hour wat can i do
Saranya,
It might be due to milk indigestion. Can you stop milk for a few days and see if he is getting the motions again. Pls let me know.
thanks for the suggestion
Thank u sangeetha my baby is 11 month old but she is in underweight i was so worried about her i always take her bath after give food but this post really helpful to me thank u
Hi sangeeta,
Thank you very much.your reply made me relaxed. Right now I give him banana and cows milk in the morning and after half an hour I give him bath.than after bath I breasrfeed him.on your web portal I read that cows milk should not give to child but at this 9 mnth age my milk is sufficient to him so I give him cows milk two times in a day.what shud I give other than cows milk.when I give him some solid food I add jeera,garlic,pinch of hing aur ghee and salt to add taste.is it right to provide all this thing.my baby is doing motion min. 3 times a day or smtime 5 times in a day.what food should I give him.
now that is a lot of info 🙂
Very true…my mom advised me on this ….I always take care not to bathe him imm after his food….nywayz gud for many mommies
Hmm . I must remember the bath thing. My baby gains weight well but still good to know.
Very useful post