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12 Reasons Of Weight Loss In Babies

Team AckoNov 26, 2024

Within 3 months of birth, babies gain double their weight from the time of birth. Mothers often tend to worry about their babies’ growth. However, a little weight loss after birth is considered normal. In the first 5 to 7 days, formula-fed babies lose up to 5% weight, whereas breastfed babies lose up to 10%. This weight loss is regained when the baby is 14 days old.

reasons for weight loss in babies

Contents

Why is Weighing Babies Important?
When and How Is My Baby Measured?
Reasons for Weight Loss in Babies
Symptoms of Weight Loss in Your Baby: When to Take Your Baby to the Doctor
The Importance of Monitoring Your Baby's Development
What Can You Do if You Are Worried About Your Baby’s Weight?
What Happens if My Baby's Growth Pattern Changes?
Dos and Don’ts to Help Your Child Gain Weight
Frequently Asked Questions

Weight gain is not always a sign of good health, and weight loss cannot be considered a sign of bad health. But both these situations cannot be ignored. It is always safe to take a paediatrician's advice before coming to any conclusions. Due to the influence of external factors, babies can lose weight during any month after their birth.

Why is Weighing Babies Important?

Ensuring a baby's health and development should depend mostly on tracking their weight from birth. Smaller at-birth babies run more danger for birth troubles as well as for diseases and other medical problems in later life. Low birth weight newborns also run more danger of dying throughout the first 28 days of their existence.

This is why you will find plenty of baby scales in maternity wards (and why health visitors often carry them around!). As soon as a baby is born, they will be almost immediately weighed. To guarantee a consistent weight reading with pinpoint accuracy, baby scales must be highly accurate and Class III Approved.

When and How Is My Baby Measured?

While pregnant, you most likely selected a paediatrician or other children's doctor; your first office visit will be within a few days following the birth of your kid or soon after you leave the hospital. Monitoring your baby's progress will become second nature to every visit, starting with the first one. Originally scheduled every few weeks, your baby's checkups will first occur every few months till they reach one. Your doctor will advise you on when to make appointments going forward and whether you should visit more frequently. See your baby's doctor as a partner; feel free to ask any questions you might have regarding the growth of your infant. Every visit offers an opportunity to obtain some confidence that you are performing rather well.

Your baby will typically be measured in the following way:

Head Circumference: From above the eyebrows, going over the ears, to the back of the skull, a soft tape measure is stretched around the broadest portion of your baby's head.
Length: Measuring the length of a wriggly infant could be difficult, but nurses and doctors are professionals at this. Your doctor will place your infant on a level table and extend their legs to gain an accurate measurement from the top of the head to the soles of the feet.
Weight: Your doctor will probably take the most accurate reading from you undressing your baby using a baby scale.

Reasons for Weight Loss in Babies

The reasons mentioned below are the possible causes of weight loss in babies:

Baby’s Activeness: Few babies are extremely active, which means they have a high metabolism rate, which can be one of the reasons for weight loss. Loss of weight under this circumstance is a healthy sign. You need to worry only when your baby is gasping or panting for breath after walking or crawling. It means your baby doesn’t have sufficient energy, ;hence it is better to consult a paediatrician.
Infection due to Worms: Worms in a baby’s intestine can affect their weight as they absorb all the nutrients from the food you provide. In case of any possible worm infections, paediatricians give proper medicines to get rid of worms and help your baby gain weight.
Genetics: Low weight in babies can be hereditary too. It is important to understand your husband's family tree to know if this is the reason for your baby’s low weight. Check if anyone from your husband’s or your parent’s side was thinner.
Long Interval Between Meals: Preferably, a baby should be fed every 3-4 hours. The food can be a simple meal or snack. It is wrong to assume that feeding only two heavy meals daily is sufficient. Babies require their nutrients regularly; hence, they should be fed frequently.
Fibre-rich Foods: High-fibre foods like whole-grain pasta and brown rice can stay for a long time in your baby’s stomach. Hence, it is better to avoid such foods as your baby needs more time to digest them, resulting in less food intake.
Regular/ordinary Food: Even babies like variety in their food. If you feed your baby the same food every day, they tend to get fed up and refuse to eat it. Try to make your baby’s food as tasty as possible and present different varieties through the limited ingredients.
Poor/lack of Nutrition: If you keep feeding your baby just milk, rice, or dal, they won’t get enough nutrients required. Add more healthy items like ghee, Kerala banana, butter, eggs, cream, and sweet potatoes to make your baby’s food rich in nutrition.
High Metabolism: Metabolism in babies increases when their activeness increases. Babies tend to lose weight when they start crawling or walking. Though this is a healthy sign, just make sure you slightly change their diet and add more nutritious foods.
Post-weaning Weight Loss: Babies lose their weight when the weaning process begins. Weaning is when a baby takes food from sources other than your breast.
Illness: Babies lose weight when suffering from fever, cold, or a cough. This is normal, as babies don’t feel like eating food when sick. You can balance this situation once they recover.
Not Receiving Enough of Hind Milk: Hind milk is the high-fat, rich milk your baby gets at the end of a feeding. This milk is richer than your baby's milk once they start feeding. So, let your baby have enough time on each side.

Symptoms of Weight Loss in Your Baby: When to Take Your Baby to the Doctor

At times, the reason for weight loss can be something beyond all the above reasons. You want to take your baby to a paediatrician if you see the following symptoms:

• Drowsiness

• Increased/decreased urine

• Lack of appetite

• Excessive thirst

• Bloody stools or presence of mucus in stools

• Regular stomach aches

You need not worry about the above factors if you take your baby to a doctor for regular checkups. During the checkups, the doctor will see if your baby has gained enough weight for their age and height. Growth patterns differ for each baby, so never compare your baby’s weight with other babies. Don’t have unrealistic expectations regarding your baby’s weight. Even if they don’t have chubby cheeks, it is alright. The only thing that matters is your baby's health, so take good care of them and give them all the love they need.

The Importance of Monitoring Your Baby's Development

We recommend you never to miss the advised visits with our team so we can track your baby's developmental milestones in line with weight reduction.

Babies without proper weight may also show delays in other areas of development. Tell us if you have any developmental problems in addition to weight loss.

Steps you can take

Here are some steps you can consider to ensure healthy growth of your baby:

Stay calm: Although baby weight loss can be alarming, it's important to approach the matter coolly and ask for our expert advice. We can check your baby's development, look into any underlying problems, and suggest suitable treatments.
Monitor your feedings: Whether you are nursing or bottle feeding, you may help your baby's weight increase in the interim by making sure they are eating efficiently. Track your feeding sessions to ensure your baby is getting enough milk. If you run into any problems, get help.
Hold your baby close: Giving your baby regular feeding sessions and making skin-to-skin contact a top priority can help promote milk production and strengthen bonding in a loving and supportive environment. This will benefit your baby's overall health.

What Can You Do if You Are Worried About Your Baby’s Weight?

Steer clear of rash judgments based on inadequate or erroneous data. Changing your baby's feeding habits without knowing the circumstances could aggravate the problem.

Should your infant not reach the average weight or the expected level, more research is required to verify whether there is a real issue or whether lack of knowledge, either yours or that of the healthcare professional, accounts for the several reasons babies do not gain as expected.

Step 1: Look for clues suggesting whether the infant is getting enough food. Should the indicators show them well-fed, their growth is likely normal.

Step 2: Read research on false alarms and variations in normal development as potential causes of perceived (rather than actual) growth difficulties.

Step 3: If you are still concerned, consult your baby's doctor. If they were expressing concerns about your baby's growth based solely on the fact that she did not gain the expected weight, seek clarification. This is especially important if they didn't ask questions to assess your baby's current nutritional status. They should also consider the possibility of false alarms and normal growth variations.

Additionally, they should evaluate whether your baby is overweight, underweight, or at a normal weight using the body mass index or weight-to-length ratio. If this hasn't been done, get a second opinion.

Should a real growth issue arise, underfeeding is the most likely cause of slow development. Overfeeding can also result in extreme growth.

What Happens if My Baby's Growth Pattern Changes?

A varied growth pattern could not point to a problem. Your youngster might just be having a growth surge, for instance. Your child's doctor will look into it further; however, occasionally, a change in growth pattern may indicate a concern. Suppose your child has always been heavier or longer than 40% of other children the same age and gender, for instance, but is now heavier and longer than 80%. Your paediatrician may investigate what has caused this additional growth in that case.

If your child is not getting longer and heavier consistently, it may indicate a concern. A well-nourished, healthy infant usually develops at a steady pace. Any variation from this pace will enable the doctor caring for your child to identify and treat any feeding, developmental, or medical problems.

Dos and Don’ts to Help Your Child Gain Weight

Do:

Increase the starchy carbs in meals, such as rice, bread, and potatoes.
Add more healthy fats to their diet by making porridge with milk and adding grated cheese to meals.
Offer them high-calorie but healthy beverages, like smoothies or milkshakes, between meals.
Promote a healthy eating mindset by involving them in the cooking process (for older kids) and making an effort to enjoy meals together.
Keep snacks on hand if they become hungry between meals; try tiny sandwiches, breadsticks, and yoghurt.
Provide vitamin A, C, and D drops daily to children ages 6 months to 5 years old to help them get enough vitamins.
If they're a picky eater, offer new meals gradually and in small portions to help them adjust.

Don't:

Rely on unhealthy foods to gain weight—instead, replace cakes and crisps with bananas or cheese on crackers.
Give them drinks and snacks before meals, as this could make them feel too full to eat and deprive them of vital nutrients.
Get upset if they don't finish everything on their plate, as this could make mealtimes unpleasant.
Stop them from exercising, as this will help them build stronger bones and muscles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here’s a list of FAQs about 12 Reasons Of Weight Loss In Babies

What are the common causes of weight loss in infants?

Infants may lose weight for several causes. Among the common causes include eating problems, digestive disorders, or colds. Newborns naturally lose weight in the first week from fluid loss. Additional factors can be GERD, infections, or milk allergies. Should the infant not latch effectively during nursing, their milk intake could be inadequate. Additionally, some infants burn more calories because of increased activity levels.

How much weight loss is normal in a newborn?

Babies often lose between 5 and 10 percent of their birth weight within the first week. This occurs as they change to live outside the womb and lose fluids. Two weeks allow most neonates to restore this weight. A doctor should see your infant if she loses more than ten percent. They might seek other causes of the weight loss or recommend additional feedings. Starting in the second week of life, normal weight increase should begin.

When should I be concerned about my baby’s weight loss?

Should your infant not regain their birth weight by two weeks, you should be worried. Another indication to see a doctor is too rapid weight loss, more than 10% of their birth weight. Look for other signs, including low energy, regular vomiting, or poor eating. Should your infant not gain weight as planned following the first several weeks, they might require additional help. Your doctor can assist you in determining whether adjustments in medical checks or feeding schedules are required.

Can teething cause weight loss in babies?

Indeed, sometimes teething causes minor weight loss in newborns. Sustained painful gums during teething may cause babies to lose their appetite. They could struggle to chew or refuse food. Drooling brought on by teething might also occasionally affect their tummy. Though it can produce minor changes, teething often results in little weight loss. Try soft, chilled foods if your infant is not eating well during teething, and record their weight.

How can I help my baby gain weight?

Give your infant regular, lengthier feedings to help them put weight on. Make sure breastfed newborns feed completely from each breast and that latching is strong. If on solids, try presenting more calorie-dense items like avocado or banana. If at all possible, you might also schedule a feeding session. Make meals pleasant and free of distractions to inspire increased eating. See a paediatrician for specific guidance if your infant still isn't gaining.

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Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only, based on industry experience and secondary sources. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified expert for health or insurance-related decisions. Content is subject to change, refer to current policy wordings for specific ACKO details.

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