Weighing of The Baby at Birth
Your baby is weighed for the first time immediately after birth, where the newborn weight is expected to be at least 2.5kg. Anything below this, in Kenya, is considered underweight. Generally, boys are known to weigh more than their counterparts at birth. The newborn baby will then lose some weight after birth but it is expected that they will gain it back within two weeks.This is because the baby loses some of the fluids that they are born with, making them to reduce weight.
After your baby is weighed after birth, it is expected that they are weighed at least once every month to help you and your doctors know in case there are any abnormalities in the weight of your baby or presence of a neonatal infection.
Growth charts are records of your child’s progress over time. They help you know whether your baby is growing in the right way and whether you are doing everything that you are supposed to as a parent. They work by looking at the percentage of the babies who are the same age. In this case, your baby is expected to be at the 50th percentile in their growth chart as this is the average weight. Read more on growth charts here
Managing Weight Gain and Weight Loss in Your Baby
- Ensure that you feed your baby with the right amount of food. Watch for signs from your baby to tell you that they are full and you can then stop feeding them
- Put away pacifiers, and supplementary water as this may make the baby feel full, avoid food, and eventually make them lose weight
- Eat more quality and better quantity foods to help you have nutritious breast milk
Call a doctor in case you realize that your baby has not regained the birth weight after two weeks or when they drop the weight after some time. Additionally, you should also be alarmed in case your baby gains too much weight within a short time.
Disclaimers:
#Please note that development differs from one child to another
# Content intended for educational purposes only, and should not be substituted for medical advice from your doctor.
Last reviewed January 2019
Sources: verywellfamily, healthline, babycenter, nhs, kidshealth, statista
