Top 5 Foods for Weight Gain in Babies and Toddlers (0 to 2.5 Years)

Weight gain in babies is a primary concern for most mothers, and healthy infants come in a range of sizes. Though growth in infants tends to follow a predictable path and can be encouraged through introducing baby weight gain food in their diet. You can refer to the baby weight gain food chart to ensure your baby is growing as per average standards.

Generally speaking, babies usually double their birth weight at six months and triple their birth weight by the end of their first year. Weight gain continues at a normal rate if the baby is regularly feeding on breast milk for the first one year. It is possible that they might gain too much weight if they are going through a growth spurt, or if they have started on solid foods too soon. Other factors that affect weight gain are the baby’s gender, genetics, or whether or not they were born prematurely.

It is important to remember that your aim should be to ensure a balanced diet which provides your child with all the nutrition that they need, to grow and stay healthy. This will automatically help your baby attain a healthy weight. Offer your child three healthy, balanced meals a day, and healthy snacks in between. A varied diet also ensures that your baby gets enough nutrients, various vitamins, and all the minerals that are required for the overall development of their brain and physique. There are several healthy foods to help baby gain weight that you can include in your infant’s diet to ensure they grow well.

Baby Weight Gain in the First Year

1. Breast Milk

Human milk is nature's ideal diet for infants. When breastfeeding goes well, a baby will consume adequate quantities of human milk to meet all their nutrient requirements for about six months of life. It is recommended that a baby is exclusively breastfed during the first 6 months after birth. Breast milk is the best food for babies to gain weight. It is the most nutritious, easily digestible, perfectly balanced, and healthiest superfood that can build your child’s immunity for life. It also fosters the bond between mother and child. If your baby is active, looks healthy, is free of allergies, passes 4-6 stools a day, and wets 6-8 diapers, it indicates that they are getting enough breast milk.

Breastfed babies grow rapidly in the early weeks and months of life, putting on weight at least as fast as bottle-fed babies. After the first three to four months, breastfed infants may gain weight less rapidly than bottle-fed babies during the remainder of the first year. The differences in growth patterns of breastfed and bottle-fed infants can give the false impression that an older breastfed baby's growth is faltering when it may be normal. However, early difficulties gaining weight probably reflect unresolved breastfeeding problems that should not be ignored.

After 6 months of age, you can introduce liquids and semi-solid foods to your baby’s diet along with breast milk.

2. Bananas

Bananas are a great option for a first solid food for babies. In fact, bananas are a great food for babies, kids, and adults at all ages and stages: naturally sweet, soft enough to mash with a fork, and ripe with lots of key nutrients. Bananas can be a part of your baby bag while travelling and makes for a convenient snack wherever you may be.

Bananas are rich in potassium and contain varying amounts of vitamins A, C, D, and K, B vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese, and fiber. It is also loaded with calories, making it one of the best food for babies to gain weight.

3. Pulses

Pulses are full of nutrients. They are rich in proteins, magnesium, calcium, iron, fibre, and potassium. After 6 months of age, you can introduce dals in the form of soup which is one of the most popular foods to help baby gain weight. Moong dal is easily digestible and is a good option for babies. Cook pulses with rice and vegetables for a nutritious and fibre-rich meal.

4. Dairy Products

Babies can have dairy products like milk and yoghurt as part of their regular diet after the age of one. You can start introducing ghee into your baby’s diet at the age of around 8 months. Dairy products are good food for 2 year old baby to gain weight.

Yoghurt provides fat and nutritious calories for healthy weight gain in the baby. It also improves digestion, increases immunity, and helps with gastric troubles. It can be made interesting by making yoghurt smoothies or shakes, with added chunks of fruits in it.

Ghee or clarified butter has a very high nutritional value and is one of the best food for babies to gain weight in a healthy way. Remember to use ghee in moderation as consuming it in excess can upset the baby’s tummy.

5. Dry Fruits and Seeds

Almonds, pistachios, walnuts, apricots, cashews, raisins and seeds like sesame, pumpkin, flax, chia seeds, etc. provide kids with adequate nutrients to gain weight and are one of the best food for babies to gain weight. They can be added to food in many interesting ways. Powder them and add to your child’s milk or sprinkle the powder on top of cereals. You can also simply give them a handful of nuts and seeds to eat. Nuts and dried fruits are great food for babies, kids, and adults at all ages and stages, making it great food for 2-year old baby to gain weight.

Baby Weight Gain Food Chart for 0-2.5 years

1. Baby – 0 to 12 months

Your child will grow up fast in the first few months of infancy. Every month, your baby will gain weight and increase in height. Do ensure that your child gets enough sleep and is well fed, vaccinated as per schedule and is taken for regular check-ups. It is recommended that the baby is exclusively breastfed during the first 6 months of her life, and eventually introduced to other liquids or semi-solid foods while still being fed breast milk. The baby should ideally double her birth weight by 4 to 6 months of age and should gain about 400g a month from 6 to 12 months of age. The following baby weight gain food chart details what a baby’s average weight should be.

Average weight by month

0 month: 2.4 – 4.3 kgs
1 month:3.2 – 5.7 kgs
2 months: 4.0 – 7.0 kgs
3 months: 4.6 – 7.9 kgs
4 months: 5.1 – 8.6 kgs
5 months: 5.5 – 9.2 kgs
6 months: 5.8 – 9.7 kgs
7 months: 6.1 – 10.2 kgs
8 months: 6.3 – 10.5 kgs
9 months: 6.6 – 10.9 kgs
10 months: 6.8 – 11.2 kgs
11 months: 7.0 – 11.5 kgs
12 months: 7.1 – 11.8 kgs

2. Toddler – 12 to 30 months

This is an active phase in your baby’s life, and lots of development happens during this age in terms of emotional and social growth. Your child will start exploring the world and will be exposed to other children in daycare or when you take her for a stroll in the neighborhood. Immunity and food habits that were built up in the first year will now be even more important. The weighing scales will show fluctuations based on various factors and emotional state of mind, anxiety of separation from parents, new environments, and changes in diet and food habits. Overall, your baby should weight about 3 times their birth weight by age 1, and around 4 to 5 times their birth weight by ages 2 to 2.5 years. Refer to the baby weight gain food chart below:

Average weight by month

12 months: 7.1 - 11.8 kgs
13 months: 7.3 - 12.1 kgs
14 months: 7.5 - 12.4 kgs
15 months: 7.7 - 12.7 kgs
16 months: 7.8 - 12.9 kgs
17 months: 8.0 - 13.2 kgs
18 months: 8.2 - 13.5 kgs
19 months: 8.3 - 13.7 kgs
20 months: 8.5 - 14.0 kgs
21 months: 8.7 - 14.3 kgs
22 months: 8.8 - 14.5 kgs
23 months: 9.0 - 14.8 kgs
24 months: 9.2 - 15.1 kgs
25 months: 9.2 - 15.3 kgs
26 months: 9.3 - 15.6 kgs
27 months: 9.5 - 15.9 kgs
28 months: 9.6 - 16.1 kgs
29 months: 9.8 - 16.4 kgs
30 months: 10.0 - 16.6 kgs

Please be aware that the information given in these articles is only intended as general advice and should in no way be taken as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you or your family or your child is suffering from symptoms or conditions which are severe or persistent or you need specific medical advice, please seek professional medical assistance. Philips AVENT cannot be held responsible for any damages that result from the use of the information provided on this website.