Can gradual weight gain have any long-term effect in babies?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am worried about the weight gain of my baby. She was born three years back and had weight: 7.41 lbs, length 20.08 inches and head circumference 13.78 inches. We started exclusively breastfeeding. On the 30th day appointment she had weight 8.82 lbs, length 22.05 inches, and head circumference 14.96 inches. 60th day appointment: weight 10.47 lbs, length: 22.44 inches, and head circumference 15.75 inches. 90th day appointment, weight 12.30 lbs, length 24.02 inches, head circumference 16.14 inches. Since then she did not gain any weight for two weeks, so we started giving also Formula, without much success, she barely drinks 120 ml for one meal. Her weight gain has not been good since, on the 120th day appointment, she was 13.03 lbs. How can I make her drink more at each meal? Would my baby be described as failure to thrive? What are the long-term effects of this slow weight gain pattern?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

The weight of your baby is slightly less. See it is not about the quantity, it is about the frequency of the feeds and the calorie content of each feed.

1. Feeding should be done every two hourly. Even at night.

2. Fortification of the milk can be done by using Simyl MCT oil (saturated fatty acids) and HMF sachet (multivitamin) in each feed. In food fortification, the quantity of each feed remains same but the calorie content increases.

I hope this helps your baby gain weight. Weight should double birth weight by 6 months, triple by 1 year, and be 4 times by 2 years.