Causes of Poor Weight Gain in Babies

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that newborns gain 4 to 7 ounces per week in the early months. Slower weight gain in a young baby can lead to serious health problems, or it may be a symptom of an existing problem.

  1. Underfeeding

    • An obvious and common cause of poor weight gain, underfeeding can occur due to strict feeding schedules, maternal depression, family dysfunction or a weak suck.

    Overdilution of Formula

    • Watered-down formula can lead to severe malnutrition in babies.

    Insufficient Milk Supply

    • Ineffective breastfeeding management can cause under-production of breast milk. More rarely, a physiological problem in a breastfeeding mother can cause that as well.

    Prematurity and Low Birthweight

    • Babies who were born premature tend to gain weight more slowly than average, as do full-term babies who were born small for gestational age. Maternal smoking and drug abuse are risk factors for prematurity, low birth weight and slow postpartum growth.

    Illness or Medical Complication

    • The baby may have a medical condition that slows weight gain, such as GERD, diarrhea or cystic fibrosis. There are other medical causes. Get your baby checked out by a trusted doctor if the poor weight gain continues.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • How to Encourage Eye Contact in Newborns
      Its a moment parents imagine during pregnancy: the first time you look deep into your newborn babys eyes and he gazes back. While you might picture this magical moment happening in the delivery room, newborns often dont maintain eye contact that earl
    • Newborn Motor Development & Music
      Researchers have long studied the areas of the brain that react to music. There is a fascinating connection between an infant’s motor skill development and music. How do the centuries-old strains of Bach impact the movements of a newborn child?
    • What is biosocial in infants to two years?
      Biosocial in the context of infants to two years old refers to the interplay between biological and social factors in their development. It emphasizes how biology (the physical body and its systems) and social experiences (interactions with caregiver