Infant Weight Gain

Infant weight gain charts are useful as a gross guideline. Other factors may effect your baby's growth like genetic and ethnic differences.

When your baby is latched on well and you are breastfeeding according to your baby’s hunger cues, your baby's growth and development will progress naturally.

Congratulations! Your new baby has arrived and is breastfeeding. How do you know if your baby is gaining the weight that he or she should? What is normal weight gain for babies? Many books and medical professionals will tell you that it is normal for your baby to lose 10% of their birth weight during the first three to four days after birth. It is best to avoid this amount of weight loss in your baby by feeding frequently. Weight loss of 5 to 7% in the first three to four days is birth is considered normal. If your baby has lost more weight, it’s a sign that baby needs to nurse more often or perhaps there is another issue that should be evaluated. The earlier that difficulties are recognized the less complicated they become.

There is usually no need to weigh your baby more than once a week. When your baby is 2 weeks he or she should have regained their birth weight though premature babies often take longer to regain weight. When you calculate your baby’s weight, use the lowest beginning weight recorded. It’s best to weigh baby undressed and with the same scale to make sure the measurements are accurate.

Normal Weight Gain for Breastfed Babies

The following weight gain standards for breastfed babies are according to the World Health Organization. Get WHO baby weight gain charts .

Birth to 7 days A loss of less than 10% of birth weight

Day 14 Has regained birth weight

2 to 7 weeks 20 to 30 grams per day

Birth to 3 months 6 oz ~ 170 gm.s per week or 1.5 - 2 lb.s ~ 680-906 gm.s per month

4 to 6 months 3.25 - 4.5 ounces per week / 92 - 126 grams per week

6 to 12 months 1.75 - 2.75 ounces per week / 50 - 80 grams per week

Normal Height Growth

0 – 6 months 1 inch per month / 2.5 cm per month

6-12 months 1/2 inch per month / 1.27 cm per month

Normal Head Growth

0 – 6 months 1/2 inch per month / 1.27 cm per month

6-12 months 1/4 inch per month / 64 mm per month

Breastfeeding is an art that is slowly perfected over time. In the beginning many mothers worry about their baby’s infant weight gain and milk intake.