Breastfed babies are becoming rare, although mother's milk is recognized as the best food for a baby and is recommended for feeding within 6 months after birth. Proper weight gain indicates a good physical development of the child. Deviations in weight gain serve as a reason to find out the cause. Improper feeding or reduced lactation can cause underweight in a child. In such cases, pediatricians are advised to do artificial feeding (IV).

Norms of weight gain

Sometimes the doctor, when determining the norm of the baby's weight, is guided by the standards developed during the Soviet Union. They are based on observations of babies on IV, are not always suitable for babies. It is more correct to refer to the weight gain standards established by WHO (can be found in its official sources). You should not strive for their unconditional observance: the development of the child is individual.

In the first two weeks after birth, babies lose some weight. This is not a reason for panic, but a normal reaction of the body to adapt to new conditions. Weight loss can reach 8-10% of the original and is considered physiologically acceptable. By no later than two weeks, the weight is restored to the level at birth.

0 to 3 months

From two weeks of age to 3 months, the most active weight gain is observed, then it gradually decreases. Babies on IV gain weight relatively evenly up to a year. In the first months, the body actively develops the nervous and skeletal systems. At this time, the norm is from 0.5 kg to 2 kg per month. Do not be afraid of such numbers, and a change up or down should alert parents, especially when children are artificially fed.

4 to 6 months

The age of the child from 4 months to six months is due to an increase in motor activity, which requires energy costs. Monthly weight gain decreases and ranges from 0.5 kg to 1 kg. In some cases, it drops to 300 g, whether to consider it as the norm, the doctor must decide.

6 to 9 months

In the period from six months to 9 months, the first complementary foods are introduced into the diet of babies both breastfed and bottle-fed, gradually accustoming them to vegetables and cereals. Weight is added within the framework of 200-500 g monthly.

9 months to a year

At the age of 9-12 months, the child's motor activity increases even more, he begins to make many new movements, spends a lot of energy, so weight gain is reduced to 100-300 g per month.

If the child is not gaining enough weight, it should be checked against the change in height. Their compliance means that the baby develops harmoniously.

Heredity can influence: if the parents are not tall, the child may lag behind their peers, and nothing needs to be done about it.

If there is a sharp decrease in weight gain

Weighing should be done no more than once a week. It is acceptable to reduce weight gain within one week, if the dynamics are restored the next. Weight loss is not always associated with serious disorders in the body. Weight gain may decrease if:

1. The kid recovered from the illness - recovery requires large energy costs, and weight loss can also be a reaction to medications;
2. The child has stress, which can be caused by moving, communicating with strangers. Changes in the conditions familiar to the baby require adaptation and addiction;
3. The child switches to IV, in this case, you need to consult a doctor and make a larger portion;
4. Mom and child began an active lifestyle: they walk a lot, go to visit;
5. Massage therapy, gymnastics or active water procedures (swimming) require additional energy consumption;
6. At the baby. The baby's digestive system adapts to the new food: IV, the first complementary food, which can cause a reaction in the form of a change in the color and consistency of the stool. If the stool returns to normal, and the baby feels fine, then everything is in order.

You should carefully consider the symptoms: lethargy, whims, behavior changes, fever. In combination with weight loss, they can accompany serious diseases:

• Metabolic disease;
• Genetic abnormalities in the development of the baby;
• Hormonal disruptions in the body;
• Diseases of the nervous system;
• Allergic reaction (especially on artificial feeding).

If you suspect, you need to do an examination of the baby's skin, nails, hair. Their condition is primarily reflected in the internal malfunctions of the body. Increased excitability, drowsiness, poor appetite should also alert. It is necessary that the doctor examine the baby and identify the reasons for the lack of weight.

Why is the baby not eating enough?

A child with breastfeeding (HB) can gain weight both more and less than the general norm.

In case of weight loss, you need to check the skin and folds on the arms and legs of the baby: if they are dry and wrinkled, then he does not have enough nutrients, he may eat too little.

The postpartum state is accompanied by stress for the mother, as a result, lactation may decrease. Lack of milk leads to the fact that the newborn is malnourished and poorly gaining weight. The doctor advises in such cases to transfer the child to IV. You can try to restore lactation to leave him on the GW.

Milk production is reduced if the body does not receive enough fluid and nutrients, why you should not follow a strict diet and limit yourself to food . The diet should be balanced, contain enough vitamins and minerals.

An increase in lactation is facilitated by an increase in fluid intake. Recommended warm tea with milk, a decoction of medicinal herbs to increase lactation.

Mom needs to be less nervous, if possible, rest more. Regular breastfeeding increases milk production. For this purpose, it is better to sleep next to the baby in order to feed him at the first request. If the measures taken do not help, you should consult a pediatrician and switch to IV.

How to feed?

Dr. Komarovsky notes that the newborn eats at the level of instincts and knows how much milk he needs. When malnourished, he cries, demanding milk. Do not force him to eat the usual amount of milk. For a baby on breastfeeding, psychological comfort is important.

If a child constantly eats against his will, he loses his appetite, becomes nervous or apathetic.

In the first weeks, Dr. Komarovsky recommends feeding the baby on demand, usually every three hours. Especially if the mother has little milk. With an increase in the weight of the child, the intervals between feeding increase. At the age of one to two months, a breastfed baby no longer eats at night.

How to accustom a child to regular feeding?

For convenience, you can accustom the child to regular meals. At the same time, the mother can help the child get used to regularity and a gradual decrease in the number of feedings. It is necessary to wake the child after four hours to feed, so a habit will form.

It is not necessary to force him to eat, usually a few minutes after waking up, he himself feels hungry. If the baby is naughty two hours after feeding, crying, you do not need to immediately calm him down. He can turn over and fall asleep. If he does not stop acting up, you can give some water or a pacifier. This will teach the body to change the interval between feedings.

If the baby wakes up an hour before the right time, do not breastfeed. If he starts to cry a lot, then it is better to feed him. The baby can systematically act up two to three hours after feeding due to the fact that the mother has little milk. He simply does not have enough food for the prescribed 4 hours, and he wakes up from hunger. It is better to temporarily switch to more frequent feeding. The emptying of the breast will lead to an increase in lactation, and will allow you to return to regular breastfeeding.

night feeding

From night feeding should be weaned gradually. You need to stop waking him up at night, and feed him when he wakes up himself. It usually takes several days for the child to stop waking up at night. Then you need to make a single portion of feeding more so that the daily volume of food does not decrease.

Dr. Komarovsky notes that weight gain in babies both on IV and on breastfeeding is individual. The child sometimes does not cry because he is malnourished. He has a small increase, he is not naughty, but he eats a large portion if he is fed.

The indicator is the general condition of the child. The cheerfulness and activity of the baby are a sign of his good health. If you have any doubts, you should consult a pediatrician.

The weight of a newborn is one of the most important indicators of his health. If the baby is full-term, but weighs less than 2.8 kg, they say that he lacked nutrients in utero. But if doctors do not notice health problems, everything is in the hands of the mother. Feeding the baby with breast milk or artificial formula is her task.

The weight of newborns in the first days of life decreases. Excess fluid comes out of the body, weight is lost and with the passage of the original feces - meconium. And in the first 3-5 days after giving birth, mommy has only colostrum, there is very little of it, just enough to satisfy her hunger, but not to make fat reserves. Normal weight indicators are reduced to 10%. That is, if a child was born weighing 4 kg, after 3 days he can weigh 3.6 kg. But by the time of discharge from the hospital, weight gain is already beginning in breastfed newborns, mommy has a lot of breast milk. Subject to active breast sucking by the child. If the weight continues to decrease with active breast sucking, this is a reason for examining the child. Perhaps there are problems with the digestive system or there is a congenital lactase deficiency. With the second reason, the baby often has green stools, severe gas formation, and a stomach ache during feedings.

Breastfed and formula-fed newborns gain weight from 500 grams per month. The norm is considered - from 600 grams and up to about 1.5 kg. Babies usually gain weight unevenly. For example, in the first month they can become heavier by 1.5 kg, and in the second by 500-600 grams. It is important that the trend of weight growth is maintained, and the overall increase fits into the normal. For example, it is believed that by 6 months, babies should gain the same weight with which they were born. For example, a child born 3.5 kg should weigh at least 7 kg.

In addition to the weight of honey. workers in children's clinics measure the size of the chest, head, height of the child. It must develop harmoniously. Physical and mental skills should be age appropriate. It often happens, especially in children closer to the age of one year, that the weight is slightly behind the norm, and the child himself is active and developed by age. Then doctors tend to consider this a variant of the norm, an individual feature. Perhaps the child just has a very active metabolism, and he himself is mobile, does not sit still, quickly spends the calories received with food.

Excessive newborn weight gain- a sign of overeating. It often happens in babies who are breastfed without any regimen and in artificial people who are offered too large volumes of the mixture or they cook it incorrectly (make it too saturated). To see what normal weight gain in newborns by months can be expected - see the table. If your child is gaining weight by leaps and bounds, normalize his diet.

1. If the baby suckles constantly, try to introduce at least small intervals between feedings. Although they say that you can’t overeat with breast milk, in practice it turns out that it’s very possible. And okay, weight, in children who eat too much, atopic dermatitis (diathesis) is more common, the stomach hurts more often, and infant colic lasts longer.

2. If the baby gains weight well on artificial feeding, you need to check with the pediatrician again about the norms for using the mixture per day. Your baby is probably just overeating.

What to do with poor weight gain and approximate norms

Feed tighter! This is the most correct answer to the question. If your baby is a little behind in weight while being exclusively breastfed, do not rush to introduce formula into his diet. This will reduce the amount of milk. Often such a lack of weight occurs in very young children. The weight of a newborn in the first month after birth does not grow well, if he likes to sleep, during feedings he dozes almost all the time, sucks inefficiently. Due to lazy suckling, the mother's milk production is reduced. Hunger in a child, of course, wakes up, but usually in the late afternoon, when mommy has almost no milk left in her chest. At least one that can be easily obtained, without active sucking.
The lack of weight in a baby of such a plan can be explained and “treated” by frequent attachments to the breast and attempts to wake the baby for feeding. To wake the baby, you can ventilate the room, turn on the TV, bathe, etc. Weight gain in premature babies for this reason is often insufficient. The child is small and lethargic. However, large babies born weighing 4 kg or more often like to sleep and are too lazy to suck.

If mom wants to keep breastfeeding, you need, without sparing yourself, to keep the baby at the breast almost all day long. Immediately after waking up, breastfeed, do not allow to suck water from a bottle and a pacifier, only the breast. After about a week the situation is resolved. And if all is well, you can make the intervals between feedings a little longer, but no more than 3 hours during the day and 6 hours at night.

If the rate of weight gain in breastfed children cannot be achieved, for example, the mother has completely flat nipples, and the child does not want to suck milk through silicone pads, or frequent stresses, it is necessary to supplement with milk formula. Give it should be in feeding, when the child is definitely not full. Usually in the evening. Ideally, you can buy or rent an electronic baby scale and use it to weigh your baby for a couple of days before and after each feeding. Thus, it will be possible to estimate the amount of milk drunk, and it will become clear how much mixture should be given to the child and at what time of day. Just keep in mind that such supplements often lead to a decrease in HB and its complete replacement with artificial feeding.

In order to prevent the rapid end of breastfeeding and the child's refusal to breastfeed, one must not abandon attempts to increase lactation. Continue to breastfeed frequently, try different lactagons, drink more fluids, and be less nervous. When the level of how much a baby should normally add when breastfeeding is reached and even exceeded, it's time to gradually reduce supplementary feeding with a mixture. Only gradually. Many women have been able to transition from mixed feeding back to breastfeeding. The main desire. If something does not work out, you need to contact a breastfeeding consultant. It is in any more or less large city.
Does the rate of weight gain depend on the sex of the child? Hardly ever. Weight gain in newborn boys is about the same as in girls, with the same amount of food. A gap of literally half a kilogram is possible. But the growth of boys by the year, indeed, turns out to be a little more than that of little ladies. Girls gain weight and height faster than boys only closer to puberty.

In addition to nutrition, the complexion of the child depends on:

• heredity;
• course of the mother's pregnancy.

On average, the weight of children in the first three months of life increases by 750 grams (per month). From 3 to 6 months - by 700 grams. From 7 to 9 months - 550 grams per month. From 9 to 12 months - by 350 grams.

Table of the rate of weight gain for newborns from 0 to a year by months:

Age, months	The rate of weight gain for boys, gr.	Norm of weight gain for girls, gr.	Average values ​​of weight gain, gr.
1	400 - 1200	400 - 900	600
2	400 - 1500	400 - 1300	800
3	600 - 1300	500 - 1200	800
4	400 - 1300	500 - 1100	750
5	400 - 1200	300 - 1000	700
6	400 - 1000	300 - 1000	650
7	200 - 1000	200 - 800	600
8	200 - 800	200 - 800	550
9	200 - 800	100 - 600	500
10	100 - 600	100 - 500	450
11	100 - 500	100 - 500	400
12	100 - 500	100 - 500	350

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Problem weight gain in newborn babies always relevant. She especially worries young mothers when breastfeeding, since milk may not be enough for the full nutrition of infants.

But before you quickly gain weight in a newborn, you should find out the age norms so as not to upset the balance between food intake and healthy development. That is, not to overeat. Guided by this approach, you can rely on the following indicators:

• at 3-4 months, weight gain should reach 600 ... 900 g every 4 weeks;

• at 4-6 months - 400 ... 600 g;

• at 6-9 months - 300 ... 500 g;

• at 9-12 months - 100 ... 300 g.

As you can see, there is simply no general firmly established norm, so you should focus on the baby himself: his activity or apathy and crying, the condition of the skin and the presence / absence of fat folds on the upper and lower extremities.

If the skin is wrinkled, dry, and the child is naughty all the time, then he is underfed, which is the reason for the lag. This is definitely a small newborn, how to gain weight in this case is not a problem. To do this, it is enough to normalize nutrition.

Another test is for wet diapers. The baby should walk on a small one at least 12-14 times a day. Urine may be light yellow or colorless and odorless. If there are fewer diapers, then the baby does not have enough food.

• You should increase the amount of fluid you drink per day.

• Before you start feeding your baby, and also after this procedure, be sure to make yourself non-hot tea with milk or herbs. Nut milk will also help - walnuts infused with it.

• When lactating, try not to be nervous and rest more. This will help to find the answer to the question: how can a one-year-old child gain weight fully and without problems.

• Do not refuse to feed the baby at night and, if possible, put him close to give breast milk in a timely manner.

• In addition, the use of special tablets is permissible. They are made on royal jelly with the addition of a complex of vitamins for lactating women.

• Do not introduce solid foods into your baby's diet or reduce their volume, especially if he is not six months old. Most of these foods are low in calories compared to breast milk.

• Sleep next to your newborn. This allows you to increase the amount of prolactin and increases the number of feedings.

• Give your baby a massage. It improves digestion and normalizes absorption, which will give an increase in body weight.

• Try to feed your baby often, without waiting for the prescribed 3 hours to expire. If you are underweight, a shorter interval is acceptable - 2-2.5 hours. In addition, this activates lactation, solving your problem of how to quickly gain weight for a newborn baby.

• When feeding, try to squeeze and massage your breasts to increase the flow of milk.

• Express fluids lightly before eating (two minutes is enough) so that the baby gets a more nutritious and nutritious serving.

• Wait for the baby to completely empty one breast, and make sure that he is full (looks sleepy, contented, non-capricious, stops actively swallowing). It is very important that the baby completely finish feeding from one breast, as "late" milk is more caloric and nutritious, which will increase the gap between meals and give restful sleep. So young mothers will forever forget about the problem of how to gain weight for a newborn baby.

And one more little clarification. If the baby is assigned additional food, still try to give him a breast (mixture - in extreme cases). It's just that the amount of calories/fat in breast milk is much higher. And to increase its one-time amount, after each feeding, express another 5-10 minutes. This portion can be offered to the baby later, as it is very nutritious. So you get rid of the agonizing question of how to gain weight for a child (1 year or less).

Parents and doctors monitor the development of an infant in the first year especially closely, since all changes in the body occur quickly, and any deviations in health will inevitably affect growth rates and weight gain. The most basic of the problems is considered to be insufficient weight gain per month. It is usually detected by monthly weighing at the pediatrician or home measurements using a baby scale. The problem of the body weight of the baby is not always real, often parents evaluate the baby in comparison with the children of friends and relatives, but in some cases the weight is really insufficient. How to distinguish the norm from pathology, what problems can lead to insufficient weight gain, what does this threaten in the future?

What does weight gain mean in children?

The intensity of metabolism in newborn babies and young children is maximum in comparison with other age categories. There will never be such an increase in mass and growth, as in the first year. Therefore, it is the increase in weight and height that is considered one of the simplest and most objective criteria by which you can assess the state of health of the crumbs.

If weight is not gained or lost, this is an alarm signal that requires immediate clarification of the reasons that disrupt the absorption of food. If weight gain is insufficient, the child either receives too little milk (mixture), or cannot fully absorb it due to problems with digestion, nervous system or internal organs that affect metabolism.

Hypotrophy, as the lack of body weight in infants is called in medicine, threatens not only with a decrease in weight gain and a decrease in growth rates. It breaks the elasticity of the skin, leads to a lag in the development of skills due to muscle hypotension, children begin to roll over later, it is difficult to master the skills of sitting and walking independently, they begin to speak much later than the due date. In addition, nutritional deficiencies inevitably affect the functioning of the immune system, which threatens with frequent and long-term illnesses.

Why is the child gaining weight poorly: possible reasons

Usually, temporary causes that lead to "standing" weight or its loss are acute illnesses (, intestinal upset), and after recovery, the situation returns to normal. But if weight gain constantly does not meet the standards or is on the border of normal and pathology, while the baby receives enough nutrition and there are no defects in care, this situation requires the attention of a doctor.

Chronic eating disorders, if a child constantly gains little in height and weight, affect not only his physical development, but also psycho-emotional, as well as the work of most internal organs. They do not receive enough nutrients for full-fledged work and growth, the formation of new cells, which is why serious pathologies are formed.

A common cause of poor weight gain is the mistakes of parents:

• Early, starting from 3-4 months, when the child's digestion is immature and not ready to receive new food;
• The introduction of additional fluid to infants, replacing sufficient volumes of milk;
• Incorrect calculation of the mixture for feeding and for a day for artificially fed children, too much dilution of the mixture with water;
• Adherence of parents to a certain style of nutrition (vegetarianism, raw food diet) and irrational feeding of the child.

Weight gain can suffer due to various congenital pathologies:

Do not compare!

Only a doctor can objectively assess body weight and monthly gains by analyzing the characteristics of the child at birth and the dynamics of weight gain. Parents make a big mistake by comparing their baby with others, and starting to look for a problem where there is none. Children who were born with a weight of 2000 g and 4500 g cannot have equal weight gain. For evaluation, the doctor has more objective criteria, on the basis of which one can draw a conclusion about underweight. The assessment of increases or weekly by the parents themselves will also be incorrect., growth and weight gain in infants occur spasmodically, such measurements are not objective, but push parents to rash actions (increasing the volume of the mixture, introducing supplementary feeding with mixtures to infants, taking medications, etc.).

What should be the weight gain in children?

The surest criterion will be the assessment of body weight on a monthly basis, at a pediatrician's appointment. So, the boundaries of the norm for increases will be 500g and more per month for up to six months, and then 400-300g per month for up to a year.

note

For the first month, the increase is estimated from the initial weight at birth. This is important because in the maternity hospital, in the first days after childbirth, the baby loses up to 10% of the mass, and then must restore it and quickly begin to gain weight.

In parallel with body weight, height in length is also measured, although this is a more variable indicator of development, which is highly dependent on external influences and measurement techniques.

If a child has added 500 g or more in a month, parents should not have any worries, even if it seems to them that the baby is thin.

If the increase is less than this value or there is none at all, in this case it is necessary to visit a pediatrician, pass tests and a full examination. You need to find out the reasons for poor weight gain. When finding out the reasons, the type of nutrition of the baby will be important: whether it is a baby or a baby on artificial feeding.

Weight norms for babies: WHO tables

Weight norms established for girls aged 0 to 5 years:

Weight norms established for boys aged 0 to 5 years:

Children on HB can gain weight unevenly, monthly gains can range from 500 to 1500 g, and therefore, when assessing, they look at the dynamics of mass and average values. For one month, especially if the baby was sick, there were difficulties with attachment or a growth spurt, his teeth were cut or there was a strong fever, no diagnoses are made. The doctor may prescribe a wet diaper test” to make sure that the weight problem was temporary and that the baby is getting enough milk.

If, according to the test results, it is found out what the baby receives (wetting less than 8 diapers per day, provided that he is not given water and mixtures), then you need to resolve the issue with, correcting, increasing feedings or feeding crumbs. It is in the shortage of milk that the problem of weight is.

Rules for artificers

With children who are formula-fed, everything is more clear and stable. Due to the fact that they receive a given amount of food per day, they have a relatively constant increase. In the first month, at least 500-600g, in the second, about 800g, with a gradual monthly decrease by 50-100g. The minimum weight gain limit for them, as well as for children in breastfeeding, in the first half of the year will be 500g. With an insufficient increase, artificialists immediately raise the question of why the baby does not absorb the mixture well. If he often has or has a skin rash, most likely the mass problem is due to an inappropriate mixture. It should be replaced with hypoallergenic or low lactose, depending on the analysis of feces and blood. Sometimes a temporary deficiency of enzymes can be the cause of poor weight gain, which is solved by introducing them with food or using hydrolyzate mixtures (they are more split and easier to digest).

The baby added badly: what to do?

If it seems to parents that the child is gaining little, you need to see a doctor and evaluate weight gain.

There is no need to take any action before examining the doctor and establishing the fact of weight loss, especially when it comes to the introduction of mixtures, complementary foods, enzyme preparations and any drugs. It can only hurt!

Often, if children initially have a low birth weight, these are not health problems, but a hereditary feature. You need to carefully look at the parents, if they are thin and short, the child will not add a kilogram per month. In addition, the fact of the course of pregnancy is also important: if there were problems with the placenta, severe, intrauterine growth retardation was exhibited - the baby will not add much at first either. The baby will be thin even with a nutritional deficiency during pregnancy in the mother herself, therefore, after the birth, the dynamics of weight gain will also be reduced.

After birth, weight gain can also be affected by severe pathologies, neurological disorders, and infections. But these reasons are obvious, and with them, children are usually treated in a hospital. There are also more objective factors that lead to insufficient weight gain:

• underfeeding a child,
• Deficiency in nutrition of essential substances.

Underfeeding a child: when does it occur?

A similar condition occurs when there is a lack of milk in the mother during breastfeeding, rare attachments, replacement of part of the feeding with water, as well as problems with attachment, active sucking in the baby. If the baby is fed on time, limiting the length of stay at the breast, he can only receive “front” milk, which is rich in salts and water, glucose, but which is low in fat.

Such food is quickly digested and provides energy only for activity, without contributing to weight gain. The lack of milk in the mother can also be a consequence of the same reasons, in addition, it occurs in the absence of night feedings.

note

It is at night that the maximum amount of lactation hormones is released due to breast stimulation, so applications from 3 a.m. to 8 a.m. are important to create a lactation reserve for the next day.

The baby can suckle the breast inefficiently and eat poorly with a short frenulum of the tongue, cleft palate, general weakness, violation of attachment, when he grabs the breast shallowly, emptying it poorly and receiving little milk only from the nipple ducts. Significant amounts of nutrition may be lost with abundant regurgitation of the baby and vomiting if the baby has neurological pathologies.

Nutritional deficiency: when is it possible?

This problem occurs more often in formula-fed children if they are fed with unadapted mixtures or they have the wrong food.. Such problems are typical for those babies who are transferred to diluted cow's milk or kefir, if they are introduced to complementary foods early, which they cannot fully assimilate, or they are fed with special foods (raw food, vegetarianism, fasting). The deficiency of protein and fats, vitamins is especially critical for weight gain.

In this case, the doctor will replace the mixture or select food that the baby can absorb without difficulty, enzyme preparations may be needed to improve the weight situation.

Alena Paretskaya, pediatrician

Sometimes from the first days of breastfeeding a newborn, he begins to lose weight, which, of course, is a reason for panic among nursing mothers. You just need to know how to feed a newborn with breast milk,to avoid underweight in the baby . First, let's find out what can really be considered a lack of weight in the baby. In the maternity hospital, the nursing mother should have been informed that on the first day the baby loses weight a little (this happens to all children without exception), but this is not a terrible weight loss, it is customary to call it physiological. The maximum is 10% of the weight of the newborn. If the baby was born 3500, he is able to throw off in the first 3 days up to 350 grams, but usually it is 100-200 grams.

How to properly breastfeed a newborn to avoid underweight babies

Starting from day 10, if the mother knows how to properly feed the newborn with breast milk, the babies should slowly begin to gain weight. Typically, pediatricians are guided by standards for newborns up to 6 months:

• The baby should gain about 18-20 grams per day.
• This is 125-130 grams per week.
• Per month, respectively, 500-600 grams.

We have to talk about weight loss in children from 7 to 9 months if:

• The increase is less than 12 grams per day.

In this article, we will not consider the situation when older children remain thin, because the article is devoted to how to feed a newborn with breast milk in order to avoid underweight in the baby.

Improper organization also means improper breastfeeding, and 95% of success depends on this. No need to be shy, even in the maternity hospital again and again ask to show you exactly how to insert the nipple and part of the halo to the newborn. Sometimes, the baby just keeps the nipple in the chest, while he continues to sleep. This is how weak children often behave. Slow down the child (by the heel), wake up. You should hear that the newborn swallows, and not just holds the breast in his mouth. I remember that my daughter even sweated from the effort, but since I didn’t give her anything other than breasts, she patiently strained her mother.

The baby looks so great with proper breastfeeding on demand.

Know the basics of how to properly feed a newborn with breast milk, meaning that the little one gets her mother's breasts at the first squeak, and not by the hour. The baby has little strength to “get” enough milk in one go, every minute he weakens (if they regularly try to feed a weak child only at certain hours) and will eat less and less. Spit on the schedule, go towards the newborn and gradually the baby will get stronger and work out its own schedule (sometimes after 2.5 hours, and sometimes after 4).

How to feed a newborn with breast milk, by the hour

A common mistake can also be considered too short a period of time when the little one eats. In time, the feeding procedure should take about 40 minutes. It is a mistake after 15 minutes to simply transfer the sleeping baby to the playpen, you need to wake up and resume feeding. Nobody says it's easy. The first month or two you will probably have to eat and drink with a newborn in your arms.

How to feed your newborn with breast milk - night feeding

Ignoring night feedings if the child does not wake up on his own. The most valuable in its composition and the most nutritious, high-calorie is night milk. Don't skip night feedings. Let one of the relatives wake you up at night from 1-3 o'clock.

Proper breastfeeding implies that the newborn receives his mother's breast at the first squeak, and not by the hour.

On the advice of grandmothers, newborns are supplemented with water. Do not do this. Nature took care of everything. Mother's milk is conditionally divided into anterior (light) and hind (more fatty). By applying to the breast for a short time, the newborn first receives foremilk, he quenches his thirst, and only then begins to flow (here is a useful article).

How to feed a newborn with breast milk - expressed milk from a bottle

This is permissible only in your absence for good reasons. It is easier to suck from a bottle and the baby may refuse to breastfeed, and the milk production of a nursing mother will gradually decrease.

Due to inexperience, mothers alternate both breasts in one feeding. In this way, the little one gets a lot of front milk, and a minimum of fatty and healthy back milk. As a result, the baby seems to eat and eat, but there is a lack of weight in the baby.

I hope the advice properly breastfeed your newbornhelp nursing mothers avoid the sad diagnosis of "lack of weight in the baby."

All photos in this article were kindly provided by the reader. Copying is prohibited.