Weight 2600 at birth. Child’s weight at birth: norms, deviations and features of physiological weight loss in newborns

One of the indicators of a child’s health and proper development is appetite and weight gain. WHO experts have developed a table for the weight of newborns, which pediatricians use as a guide during routine examinations and weighing of children.

Starting weight new born child does not always fit into the developed standards: heredity, the diet of a pregnant woman and a number of other factors can shift indicators towards decreasing or increasing weight.

So what does weight depend on? newborn? Let's look at this issue.

Physiological weight loss

In the first days after birth, the baby's weight decreases slightly. However, there is no reason to panic, this is a physiological norm. The reasons for this are healthy child are:
– loss of excess moisture in the new habitat;
– excretion of original feces;
– drying of the residual umbilical cord;
- spitting up by baby amniotic fluid;
– insufficient intake of moisture by the newborn.

Standards for height and weight of children developed by WHO

The average weight of a newborn varies depending on gender: for boys it is 3,400–3,500 g (with a height of 44.2–55.66 cm), for girls – 3,200–3,400 g (43.6–54.7 cm). The normal weight of a child at birth is from 2.5 to 4.5 kg.

Newborn baby weight norm table

Girls weight

Boys weight

The tables indicate that the norm for a full-term baby is below to above average. In other cases, supervision by a pediatrician is necessary.
It is important not what weight the baby was born with, but how much the newborn’s weight corresponds to the gestational age: weight 2.0 kg at 40 weeks and 2.0 kg at 32 weeks should be considered differently.

Weight standards for newborns

Despite the fact that the weight of the child is individual, the accepted indicators are that the weight of a newborn is considered normal: 2.5–4.5 kg. If the weight of a full-term baby is 2.5–2.8 kg, he does not need wrapping and increased feeding, which will only cause frequent regurgitation, but not weight gain.

How a newborn baby should gain weight table

The table shows what weight gain should be in newborns by month. Of course, it is necessary to take into account individual characteristics and do not forget that it gives average indicators that may vary in each individual case.

Month	Boy, weight in kg	Boy, height in cm	Girl, weight in kg	Girl, height in cm
Birth	3.6	50	3.4	49
1	4.45	54.5	4.15	53.5
2	5.25	58	4.9	56.8
3	6.05	61	5.5	59.3
4	6.7	63	6.15	61.5
5	7.3	65	6.65	63.4
6	7.9	67	7.2	65.3
7	8.4	68.7	7.7	66.9
8	8.85	70.3	8.1	68.4
9	9.25	71.7	8.5	70
10	9.65	73	8.85	71.3
11	10	74.3	9.2	72.6
12	10.3	75.5	9.5	73.8

Formula for calculating the weight of a newborn

To make it easier to track your baby’s weight gain, you can use a special formula:
– from one month to six months: birth weight + 800 x per month;
– after 6 months: birth weight + 800 x 6 + 400 x per month. after 6 (7,8,9, etc.).
Fluctuations from the norm can be within +/– 1.0 kg. With natural feeding, in the first three months the weight gain in newborns is 0.8–1.0 kg, and subsequently – 0.6–0.8 kg.

How many grams should a newborn baby gain per month?

After birth, the baby loses about 250 g, this is normal. After a few days he begins to gain weight. Newborns gain weight every day: in the first month - 20.0g, in the second - 25.0g, in the third - 30.0g. The minimum is about 460g, that is 115g per week. From four months, when babies become active, energy consumption increases, weight gain is 400–600g; at 6–9 months – 300–500g; 9–12 months – 100–300g. By the age of one year, the baby's weight is almost three times what it was at birth.

What factors determine the body weight of a newborn?

A number of factors influence a baby's weight:
– heredity;
– balanced nutrition for a pregnant woman;
– health of the pregnant woman (toxicosis, swelling, etc.);
– condition of the newborn;
– gender (boys weigh on average 3.2–3.5 kg, girls – 3.0–3.25 kg).

Check weighing

Control weighing is carried out before and after feeding the newborn in order to track the dynamics of weight changes during the day. All data obtained as a result of control weighing is entered into a special table. If, based on its results, it is determined that breastfeeding is not enough, the child is transferred to mixed feeding, and the mother takes measures to enhance lactation.

Weighing a child

Every month, newborns are weighed using mechanical or more accurate electronic baby scales.
It’s easy to weigh on electronic scales:
– place the scales on a hard, flat surface;
– turn on the device, set it to “0”;
– put the diaper on and press the “TARA” option so that the weight of the diaper is not taken into account;
– put the baby down, holding the head and butt;
– it is better to weigh a half-asleep child or when he gets comfortable and lies quietly;
– fix the weight.

The weight of a newly born baby is the main indicator of his overall health. That is why doctors pay attention to this factor Special attention, recording it as one of the first in the newborn’s medical record. And it is no coincidence that the question of what weight is considered normal at the birth of a child is of such great interest to young mothers. In addition, women in labor should also know what this indicator depends on, what the risk of underweight or excess weight can be, and how to avoid problems with the baby’s weight in the future. Many also ask the question: what kind of child is born at birth, depending on the gender of the baby? You will find answers to all these questions here.

Everything you need to know about newborn weight

The normal weight of a child at birth ranges from 2.5-4.5 kg. It should be borne in mind that newborn boys usually have a slightly larger body weight. So, normal weight a child at the birth of a girl can be a maximum of 4 kg.

If the body weight is less than 2.5 kilograms, then in this case the baby has a deficiency. This may lead to difficulties in caring for the child, and may even require special nutrition and appropriate conditions to normalize weight. Such babies are not considered premature, but their stay in the hospital may nevertheless be somewhat prolonged. Nowadays, young mothers most often give birth to children with normal or even excess weight. But babies who are underweight usually catch up with their peers in this regard by the age of six months.

What determines a baby's weight after birth?

It is influenced by many factors. The reasons why children are born with too much body weight may be the following:

Low body weight in children: causes

• Bearing two, three or more fruits at the same time.
• Diseases of the cardiovascular and urinary systems (including infectious ones), chronic diseases lungs in a woman in labor.
• Diseases of the uterus, placental defects, poor blood clotting in the mother.
• Poor nutrition of the expectant mother during pregnancy, unfavorable climate and ecology.
• Smoking and drinking alcohol in excess of permissible limits (in most cases, alcoholic beverages should be completely avoided).
• Consumption of caffeine in large doses.

Nutrition and its effect on the weight of the newborn in the first days

A baby's normal birth weight may decrease by about 150-200 grams in the first 24 hours of life. This indicator is appropriate if the baby was born weighing 2.5-4.5 kg. This is the baby's normal birth weight. It is considered acceptable and absolutely natural to reduce it by a maximum of 300 grams. This occurs due to the fact that the newborn’s swelling gradually goes away, and the intestines are freed from what has accumulated in it. After birth, the baby has not yet established a diet, and this also affects body weight.

Normalization of the baby’s weight occurs already on the fifth day. On the tenth day, body weight begins to increase regularly, depending on nutrition. New mothers who are breastfeeding should not panic if the baby is recovering too slowly. The point is that on artificial feeding babies gain weight many times faster than on their mother's. This is explained by the presence in purchased mixtures of various nutrients and components that allow the newborn to develop more quickly.

Normal baby weight at birth is not uncommon these days, but modern medical centers allow you to care for newborns weighing only one kilogram. Such babies are born with a weakened immune system, they are completely inactive and lethargic, so in the first days of life they require more attention and care. As statistics show, within a year, thanks to the help of doctors, children become stronger, their weight returns to normal, and their development is in no way behind their peers.

Excess and underweight: danger

Insufficient fetal body weight, however, as well as its excess, can be observed in the womb. If underweight is diagnosed at later pregnancy, then in this case the young mother is prescribed a special diet rich in essential vitamins and minerals. The caloric intake is also determined by the attending physician.

If the fetus is overweight, this is also not a good indicator and is considered a deviation. Doctors are wary of this, since excess weight of the baby may indicate disturbances in its development, and in most cases they give the mother in labor some recommendations. Most often, she is prescribed a balanced diet, which is dominated by low-fat dairy products, vegetables and fruits. It is advisable to completely exclude fatty delicacies, sweet pastries and other flour products from the menu; smoked meats and too high-calorie dishes are also taboo.

In addition to poor nutrition, often overweight in a baby even at birth may indicate that the mother has diseases of the endocrine system.

What are the dangers of excess baby weight for the health of the expectant mother?

An important point: excess body weight in a baby can harm not only the newborn itself, but also its mother. Before birth, this can threaten the occurrence of complications in a woman during childbirth. The most common of them is perineal rupture. To avoid such injuries, mothers in labor are prescribed to do C-section. After birth, such a baby may require increased attention.

During the first year, parents should constantly monitor the development of their child. By the way, normal weight at birth partially guarantees that his state of health at that time will be positive. In addition, with excess or deficient body weight, babies can develop completely different complications.

What are the dangers of underweight newborns?

Let’s imagine that the child has already been born, and consider the problem of normalizing weight during the baby’s life. In children born with low birth weight, thermoregulation is impaired. As a result, babies freeze faster and take much longer to warm up and restore their temperature balance. Such children are more susceptible to various diseases and colds, since in most cases they have reduced immunity. Hypovitaminosis and anemia are other frequent companions of children with insufficient body weight.

What can cause excess body weight in a newborn?

It has always been believed that what more weight a born child, the healthier it will be. They especially often say this about boys - they say, they will grow up to be a real hero! This assumption is fundamentally incorrect, because the normal weight of a child at the birth of a boy should be up to 5 kg.

Perhaps, in the first years of life, a baby born with a larger weight will get sick less often than his peers. However, he may have serious problems in the future. These include allergies, retardation in physical development (since the child will experience difficulties in controlling his body), as well as misunderstanding on the part of friends (which can later cause the development of mental disorders).

Regular weight control is the key to proper development

A child’s normal weight at birth is, of course, excellent, but in the future parents can, without noticing it, fatten the baby (or vice versa). It is not only possible, but even necessary, to avoid problems in this regard at the initial stage of a child’s growth. First of all, it is necessary to carefully develop a diet, discussing and clarifying all the nuances with a specialist. In the future, you need to constantly monitor the baby’s growth and weight.

However, there is one “but” here: if the condition is stable even in the presence excess weight(within acceptable limits), then parents should not worry about it. The main thing is that the child feels good and is comfortable at this weight. In this case, young parents can simply consider their child to be moderately well-fed and strong and not take any action towards weight loss.

The correct development of the newborn is assessed primarily on the basis of height and weight. It’s no wonder why parents pay so much attention to these parameters of their baby.

WHO data

More recently, the World Health Organization approved new tables for normal height and weight gain in children. Unlike outdated data, they include norms for breastfed babies.

It has been proven that growth and weight gain largely depend on the type of nutrition: slower in newborns fed breast milk, faster in bottle-fed infants. Therefore, it is quite possible to harm a child receiving formula by overfeeding, if you focus on new growth rates that are too high for him.

According to WHO, there are differences in birth norms for boys and girls. The table shows growth rates from extremely low to extremely high. In both cases, which, by the way, is rare, the child is supposed to undergo a comprehensive examination in order to correct possible pathology.

The average height for girls is 46.1 cm, the lower limit is 43.6 cm, the upper limit is 54.7 cm. For boys, the normal average height is 49.9 cm, very low and very high – 44.2 cm and 55.66 cm, respectively.

WHO data were collected on children born at term; in addition to assessing growth, indicators such as body weight and head circumference were also taken into account.

The close attention paid to the growth of a newborn is explained by the importance of this parameter in the overall assessment of development; calculation formulas take into account age, height, and some – body weight. Normal indicator development – ​​gain of 25 cm in the first year of life. The development of a baby in the prenatal period can be assessed on the basis of the “Quetelet Index” (the numerical ratio of height and weight). To calculate it, birth weight is divided by the numerical value of height. For a full-term baby figures within 60-70 cm are considered normal, a person born prematurely will have different indicators.

What affects a child's growth?

What can affect growth? First of all, genetics is important: children of tall fathers and mothers surpass their peers in height. A lag in this parameter is caused by irregular eating, an unbalanced diet, or age-inappropriate food. The cause may also be diagnosed developmental defects.

Thus, based only on the child’s growth indicator, one can tell a lot about his development as a whole, including until the moment he comes into the world. Mandatory measurement of height and weight at a pediatrician’s appointment once again indicates the importance of these parameters, both individually and in their numerical ratio. A slight lag or advance in growth is not a cause for concern. However, a significant discrepancy indicates pathology and requires consultation with a specialist.

And, of course, we should remember, no matter what statistics and numbers show, the well-being of a child lies in his good physical fitness and healthy well-being.

Sudden weight changes in a newborn baby: normal or manifestations of the disease? - is considered a pressing issue for parents and pediatricians, giving rise to many other questions.

Such, for example, as:

• How to understand that a child has abnormal body weight?
• What do you need to know and do in order to suspect something is wrong in time?
• How to care for a child with low or high weight?

All this will be discussed in this article.

The weight of a newborn baby (the norm for boys and girls at birth is shown in the table below) may change for the following reasons.

Gestational age

The less time the baby spent in the womb, the less its weight.

Weight of a newborn baby born into the world ahead of schedule different from the norm. There are 4 degrees of fetal maturity depending on birth weight

A baby born prematurely is called premature.

Multiple pregnancy

Children from twins or triplets are often born prematurely because the uterus is unable to stretch to such a size as to carry more than one fetus up to 37-40 weeks.

Somatic diseases of the mother

These are the following diseases:

• diabetes;
• arterial hypertension;
• obesity;
• pathology of the thyroid gland;
• neoplasms.

The processes listed above are accompanied by a decrease in the supply of nutrients from the mother’s vascular bed to the placenta, and then to the fetus.

More often, the birth weight of a child for this reason decreases, with the exception of diabetes mellitus, since with diabetes, the fetus intensively develops pancreatic cells that produce insulin, which is why the child’s body tries to reduce high blood sugar from the mother.

Insulin promotes the synthesis of fats from carbohydrates (sugar), therefore, with diabetes, despite impaired blood flow through the placenta, the child is born with a large body weight.

Use of alcohol, narcotic and psychotropic substances

Under their influence it slows down physical development, maturation of nervous tissue. Therefore, children born from such mothers have low body weight and delays in neuropsychic development.

Obstetric and gynecological pathology

This group of factors includes:

Unbalanced diet

Rare and low-calorie nutrition of the mother inevitably leads to low weight of the child. There is an opinion: the fetus will take everything it needs, leaving the mother with nothing, but when there is nothing left to take from the mother, and her nutrition leaves much to be desired, the child is born with a deficiency of weight and many nutrients.

There is also a downside: increased, uncontrolled and high-calorie nutrition is followed by an increase in birth weight.

Sexually transmitted infections (gonorrhea, syphilis)

They lead to intrauterine infection, which can cause developmental abnormalities and weight loss, as microorganisms take all the nutrients, leaving nothing for the child, and destroy organs with toxins.

Fetal diseases

Diseases of the fetus, namely: malformations of the heart, kidneys, lungs, liver and other organs, lead to impaired metabolism.

In the absence of the above risk factors, birth weight is usually normal.

How to weigh a baby

At birth, the child is weighed in the delivery room on a medical scale, then every month for a year the weight is determined in the office of the local pediatrician on a certain day of the week, or in the office of a healthy child in the clinic. When weighing your child at home yourself, in order to get accurate results, you can purchase special scales at a medical equipment store.

• the room should be warm, without drafts;
• You need to put a clean diaper on the scales;
• The scale should be turned on after the diaper has been placed, but before the baby is placed there. He must be undressed and without diapers, clean and washed;
• It is necessary for him to be calm and not cry. If this cannot be done, then you can weigh it in a state of natural sleep;
• to fix the baby in one position, you can attract his attention with a toy;
• you need to wait until the numbers on the scales are established, and then pick up the child.

How to properly weigh a newborn baby:

Weight standards for newborns

The normal weight of newborns varies depending on gender and gestational age, but the average values ​​vary:

Deviations from the norm: should you worry?

The weight of a newborn baby (normal and deviation) is a very important indicator indicating the state of his health. There are cases when the mass is lower or higher than normal values.

Little weight observed in premature babies, and, depending on the degree of deficiency, three groups of children are distinguished:

Large weight is considered if it is over 4000 g, and this condition in children is called paratrophy.

You should only worry if the reason for the deviation from the norm is not clear. When the pregnancy is less than 37 weeks, weight will almost always be reduced, and the mother with diabetes mellitus, on the contrary, increased. If abnormalities in weight are detected in a full-term baby, it is necessary to find out the weight of the parents at birth, since all changes are hereditary.

Physiological weight loss

In the womb the child swallows amniotic fluid, has a cheese-like lubricant on the skin, which is released upon birth. Next, he has to adapt to the aggressive conditions of the surrounding world, spending a huge amount of energy, so during the first 2 weeks the baby’s weight decreases by 5-8%, but is restored by the 1st month.

The weight of the newborn and the physique of the parents

The weight of a newborn child is the norm even when, compared to his peers, he is different: he is ahead or behind. And this depends on the characteristics of the parents’ constitution. Parents may be small in stature, therefore, they cannot have a large child, and, conversely, it is rare to see large and tall parents small child.

Differences in weight “according to ultrasound” and at birth

The weight of a newborn baby on ultrasound has its own norm, so it may differ from the body weight at birth. Weigh the child on ultrasound examination it won’t work, therefore, the mass is calculated based on approximate data.

To do this, use a special mathematical formula that takes into account the gestational age, head and chest circumference, and fetal growth.

density bone tissue, skeletal features, the severity of subcutaneous fatty tissue in each little man are individual, so only weighing will show the exact figure of body weight.

It is necessary to give credit to this method, since it is close to the true values ​​relative to others.

The effect of nutrition on weight gain

When feeding with breast milk, given that the nursing mother's diet is followed and the baby is healthy, all weight gains are age-appropriate. But with mixed and artificial feeding, meals should be provided at a certain time of day with a specific amount of prepared formula, calculated for the age and body weight of the child.

If you feed a bottle-fed baby “on demand”, he will begin to gain weight quickly and intensively.

Another option may be that if a child, while breastfed, eats less than the required amount, then monthly gains may become lower than normal, to the point that the child begins to lose weight.

Check weighing

Control weighing is a measurement of a breastfed baby’s body weight “before” and “after” each feeding during the day, carried out to assess the amount of mother’s milk consumed. All data is recorded in a specially compiled table.

If it is noticed that the child consumes less milk than he needs, then he is transferred to mixed feeding, and the mother is given recommendations to enhance lactation (frequent breastfeeding, mandatory night feedings, taking drugs that enhance secretion breast milk).

Table of norms for infant weight gain by month (up to one year)

Age	Increases for 1 month, g				Proper body weight, g
	Boys		Girls		Boys	Girls
1 month	400-1200	(750)		400-900	3600-5000	3500-4600
2 months	400-1500	(750)		400-1300	4500-6000	4300-5500
3 months	600-1300	(750)		500-1200	5500-6900	5300-6400
4 months	400-1300	(700)		500-1100	6100-7700	5800-7100
5 months	400-1200	(700)		300-1000	7000-8400	6200-8000
6 months	400-1000	(700)		300-1000	7900-8950	7000-8800
7 months	200-1000	(550)		200-800	7800-10050	7200-9100
8 months	200-800	(550)		200-800	8200-10400	7200-9400
9 months	200-800	(550)		100-600	8700-11050	8100-10000
10 months	100-600	(350)		100-500	9200-11500	8200-10800
11 months	100-500	(350)		100-500	9300-11500	8900-11000
12 months	100-500	(350)		100-500	9400-11900	9000-11300

Overweight newborn

If the child begins to quickly gain weight, it is necessary to identify and exclude the cause of this, namely: diseases of the newborn (congenital hypothyroidism, hereditary pathology), errors in the diet of the mother on breastfeeding or overfeeding of the child, especially on artificial and mixed feeding.

When the cause is excluded, the diet of the mother and child is adjusted, then the child can be given baby massage or perform gymnastics for infants, increase the frequency of being outside during walks, which will lead to the waste of extra calories.

Neonatal underweight

The reasons for low weight in a newborn and low growth rates may be:

• prematurity;
• diseases in the child (heart defects, infectious diseases, anomalies of the maxillofacial region);
• maternal poor nutrition;
• decreased lactation.

The most common cause of low birth weight in a newborn is a decrease in the amount of mother's milk.

To stimulate its release you need:

• put the baby to the breast more often;
• empty both breasts after feeding;
• feed the baby at night;
• get a good night's sleep;
• normalize the work and rest schedule.

It is necessary to identify the reason for the decrease in milk supply and deal with it, and only as a last resort resort to introducing formula into the baby’s diet.

Will always help answer all questions related to the weight of a newborn baby and its norm. pediatrician– pediatrician. He will explain when you should worry and when not, refer you to the necessary research, help you choose nutrition if the child is bottle-fed, and if overweight will select the necessary massage and gymnastics.

Article format: Svetlana Ovsyanikova

Video on the topic: normal weight of a newborn baby

Normal weight gain and height for a child up to one year:

Weight of the newborn baby in the first week after birth: