First two weeks – As mentioned earlier, it is normal for newborn babies to lose weight during the first few days of life. A bottle-fed baby may lose up to 5% of their body weight whereas an exclusively breast fed one may lose 10% of their body weight. However, after two weeks, they will regain all the lost weight and return to their birth weight. Normal baby weight in kg is going to be 2.6 to 3.8 kg for a full-term baby.
One month – At the one-month mark, most babies will have gained anywhere from 500 grams to 1 kilo (from their birth weight! At this point, they will have developed a regular feeding pattern while also practicing a stronger suck during feedings. This enables them to steadily gain weight. Expect your baby boy to be around 4.5 kg or your baby girl to be around 4.2 kg.
Six months – At the half year mark, it is common for most babies to be roughly double their birth weight. So expect an average weight of 7.3 to 7.5 kg for baby girls and 7.9 kg to 8.5 kg for baby boys.
One year – Now that you have an idea of average baby weight by month, you should know that weight gain will slow down between the six month and one-year mark. However, it will still have tripled when compared to your baby’s weight at birth. Expect your baby girl to weigh around 8.9 kg or your baby boy to weigh around 9.6 kg.
Your baby will gain an average of an inch a month during the first six months of their life. After six months, growth will slow down to around ½ an inch per month, but will still be a constant for the remainder of their formative years.
However, do keep in mind that there is no consistent rate of growth when it comes to your little one’s length. Instead, what you will notice are growth spurts. Growth spurts are sporadic in nature and can happen at any time, without really following a pattern. Some of the ages that your child may experience a growth spurt are ten days, three weeks, six weeks, three months, and six months. Nonetheless, do not worry if your baby does not grow during these time periods as every baby is different. During and after a growth spurt, a baby will tend to cluster feed, which is essentially feeding every hour or two. Luckily, these intense cluster feeds will last a day or two, at which point your breasts will adapt to the increased demand by providing more breastmilk.
There are several factors that determine the growing capacity of a baby. Genetics plays an important part as the height of mother, father, and other family members can also impact how tall the child will be. Generally, tall parents will have tall babies whereas short parents will have short babies. In terms of gender, boys tend to be taller than girls. Infants grow in length after long periods of sleep. Make sure baby is moving around a lot as physical activity builds strong muscle and bones. Finally, good nutrition during after pregnancy will help ensure that baby’s body is getting the necessary vitamins, minerals, and protein needed for growth.
At Birth – 49.9 cm (boys) and 49.1 cm (girls)
One month – 54.7 cm (boys) and 53.7 cm (girls)
Three months – 61.4 cm (boys) and 59.8 cm (girls)
Six months – 67.6 cm (boys) and 65.7 cm (girls)
One year – 75.7 cm (boys) and 74 cm (girls)
However, do remember that these are just approximate numbers as most baby growth happens during growth spurts. Your child’s pediatrician will be more concerned with your baby gaining weight, rather than getting taller. As long as the baby is well-fed, moving around, and sleeping often, they are bound to get taller over time. Your baby’s month-to-month progress isn’t as important as the trend of the growth curve overall.
Breastmilk – This is hands down the best food to ensure consistent growth in your baby the way nature intended it. It should be top of the list as it is the most important food a baby will eat in its entire life. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life, and breastfeeding to continue until at-least one year (although it doesn’t hurt to extend it).
Eggs (non-vegetarian) or Soya beans (vegetarian) – Protein forms a part of all the cells in the body and is needed to make new cells. Hence it is essential in a child’s formative years as this is when most of the development takes place. Mash some egg yolk or soya beans and feed one tablespoon to your child (increasing it over time) so they can also get the growth benefits of protein.
Avocado – Even though it isn’t native to India, that doesn’t mean you can’t derive the benefits of this super-food. It is known as ‘Makhan Phal’ (butter-fruit) because of its buttery texture. The delectable, creamy texture makes it palatable for babies. Not only taste, avocado is also packed with essential nutrients, fatty acids, and fiber; making it one of the most baby-friendly solid foods that you can introduce as a puree at around the 6-month mark.
Potato - A classic in every right, the potato is versatile, yummy, and rich in minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients. It is also the least allergenic food, which helps when dealing with the sensitive digestive system of a baby. It can be had as a puree, a soup, or even in khichdi. In addition to that, it’s also a fuss-free food as most babies love the bland, soft taste and texture of potato. Widely available all over the world, you should have no trouble findin
g potatoes anywhere.
Banana – One of the most popular baby foods, bananas are naturally sweet, easily mashed, and quite portable too! They don’t require any cooking and can be mashed without any equipment. Bananas are energy dense, packed with dietary fiber, potassium, and other vitamins and minerals making it an ideal weight gaining food. The best way to introduce bananas are by pureeing them and feeding a tablespoon to your baby.
Do keep in mind that solid foods should only be started after the six-month mark. Consult your pediatrician about how and when to start solid foods for your baby. The list provided above are just general guidelines about foods that can help your baby gain weight and length. As long as your baby is steadily gaining weight and length on their growth chart, and being regularly breastfed until the one-year mark, you have no reason to worry about their growth.