As a brand-new parent to a newborn baby, it’s perfectly natural to have lots of questions. You want to make sure your child is developing and growing at a healthy rate.
There’s lots of information out there about newborn weight ranges and the pace of development, but you can monitor your little one’s growth with peace of mind.
At regular medical checkups during the first year of your baby’s life, a specialized newborn doctor will record their weight. To make sure they’re on track at home, follow these general guidelines.
Normal Birth Weight Ranges
When a baby is born at full term (38 to 40 weeks), they typically weigh between 6 and 9 pounds. Babies born before full term have lower birth weight ranges.
Medical professionals classify “low birth weight” as anything below 5 pounds 8 ounces. This applies no matter when your baby was born (premature or full-term). Low birth weight is associated with health complications, but it doesn’t guarantee an unhealthy baby.
Keep in mind that in the first week after birth, your newborn will likely lose some of their birth weight. That is normal. Your baby’s body naturally expels the fluids it retained in the uterus during your pregnancy.
Your newborn may lose as much as 10% of their birth weight in that first week. After that, healthy newborns begin to gain weight each month.
Average Newborn Weight Gain: How Much Should Your Baby Gain Each Month?
During the first month of your baby’s life and beyond, you might worry that they’re not gaining enough weight. This is a natural fear as a parent. Health professionals use averages and guidelines to evaluate your baby, rather than strict weight requirements.
According to the available data, female babies weigh less than male babies on average. The difference is usually just a few ounces, but it can be up to a pound or more.
During the first three months, babies should gain around one ounce per day. This rapid rate of growth slows considerably as babies head into the four-to-six-month age range. Your baby may gain as little as 0.3 ounces per day after six months.
Remember, these are averages based on available data. Being slightly over or under the average weight for their age doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem with your baby’s health. Your newborn doctor is the best source of information on whether your baby is healthy.
Newborn Nutrition and Feeding Guidelines
Pay attention to your newborn’s feeding patterns. Babies need adequate nutrition to gain weight as they grow.
Depending on whether you’re breastfeeding or formula feeding, your baby may need to eat more or less often. This is because babies’ digestive tracts process breast milk and formula differently.
One method is not “better” than the other in terms of newborn weight gain. However, you should be aware of the differences so you can monitor your baby’s nutrition appropriately.
Breastfeeding
For breastfeeding mothers, it’s best to gauge your baby’s milk intake by timing nursing sessions. It’s not possible to know exactly how much milk your baby is getting from the breast, so go by average feeding times instead.
A good rule of thumb is that a newborn should feed for about 15 to 20 minutes on the first breast and 20 to 30 minutes on the second.
You’ll likely have to nurse every two to three hours for the first few months of your baby’s life. As long as your baby is producing consistent wet diapers and having bowel movements, they’re probably on the right track.
Formula or Combination Feeding
Formula-fed babies tend to stay full for longer than breastfed babies. If you’re combination feeding, formula can increase satiety to help your baby go longer between feeds.
The guidelines for formula feeding by age are:
- 1 Month: 2 ounces every 3 hours
- 2 Months: 3 ounces every 3 hours
- 3 Months: 4 ounces every 3 hours
These amounts should produce healthy weight gain in newborns.
What Lower-Than-Average Weight Gain Might Mean for Your Baby
It’s okay if your baby has a slightly lower weight than growth charts predict. It’s natural for children’s weight to fluctuate each day, so don’t panic right away. Your newborn doctor will tell you if there’s a problem with your baby’s weight.
Many different factors control a newborn’s weight. The conditions of your pregnancy, genetics, baby’s underlying medical conditions, and gestational age all play important roles.
Go through this checklist with your child’s pediatrician to rule out common causes of low weight gain:
- Premature birth
- Latching or feeding problems
- Digestive issues
- Infrequent feeding schedule
- High-risk or complex pregnancy
- Genetic disorders
With the right interventions, most babies will “catch up” on their weight gain after the newborn stage. By their first birthday, many babies have tripled their birth weight.
Failure to Thrive: Why It Happens to Children and What to Do
Many new parents worry about “failure to thrive.” It may be called “growth faltering” and is a medical term to describe a lack of adequate weight gain in childhood.
Failure to thrive is the result of malnutrition. When a baby isn’t getting enough calories or nutrients from food, they “fail to thrive” and have a much lower weight than normal.
It’s important to know that failure to thrive isn’t necessarily your fault. It can happen due to low milk supply or latching problems. Sleepy babies might not wake often enough to get the ounces of milk they need throughout the day.
If your baby is abnormally fussy and showing signs of extreme hunger even after eating, they could have a digestive issue preventing them from absorbing calories and nutrients. Even if you’re feeding them often enough, they can still experience weight problems.
Make an appointment with a newborn doctor to discuss solutions and get expert guidance.
Get Insight Into Your Baby’s Growth: See a Newborn Doctor at Newport Children’s Medical Group
At Newport Children’s Medical Group, we have a team of specialized doctors ready to help your little one thrive. From newborn doctors to pediatric pulmonologists, we can help with a wide range of children’s medical concerns.
If you have questions or concerns about your newborn’s weight, our doctors can help. Book an appointment at Newport Children’s Medical Group today!