Reasons For Baby Not Gaining Weight

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Babies need a steady development; this depends on various things. Ensure that the baby is growing up healthy with proper brain development and physical development. Weight gain is an important factor for the baby’s development. Every month your child needs to gain weight, this is the sign of a healthy child. Gaining weight s not a rapid process, but it should be consistent. There is a particular rate at which the baby needs to gain weight, more or less weight gain than the normal rate can be dangerous.

Mothers should also understand that all babies are not the same, sometimes just that much of food is enough for your baby. During the ages between 1 and 3, you can’t expect a lot of weight gain as your baby is very active during this period that there is very less chance of gaining any weight. Just take care that the baby doesn’t lose weight.

If your baby is not gaining weight, it needs to be recognized and need to be treated as it can be due to under nutrition or some medical problems which requires immediate help.

If your baby is not gaining weight after trying many tips to help your baby gain more weight, there may be some issue that needs medical advice. Here are some among them.

Illness
This can take a drastic effect on your baby’s appetite. This is a very common scenario, even when we feel sick we don’t feel like eating. When your child is sick give them what they prefer. More liquids will be helpful and once they feel their normal self again, you can feed them with the right food again and they can gain the weight that they have lost.

Gastrointestinal Problems
If your baby is not gaining weight, it could be due to some gastrointestinal problem which in some cases you fail to identify. The gastrointestinal problems will include diarrhea, reflux, celiac disease and milk intolerance. Milk intolerance will be identified at an early stage and necessary precautions need to be taken.

Mother’s Postpartum Depression
This is a depression that the mother develops after the birth of the child. This is very common and will pass with time. But, during this time you will not be able to give proper attention to your baby’s needs. This will reflect on its health and the baby’s weight gain. At these times, you can get some extra help from somebody who can take care of the baby.

Rare Cases
Baby not gaining weight can also be due to very rare cases like lung problem - cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy, chromosome problem – down syndrome, heart disease, anemia, metabolic and endocrine disorder or hormone deficiency. These are few of the very rare cases which can be identified with the right set of tests and treated accordingly.

Feeding Problems and Stress
This is for older children, like above 12 months of age. If your baby is not gaining weight, it could be associated with the problem in feeding. This may include the timing of each feed, the position of feeding or the frequency of feeding. You may also suspect swallowing problems in the baby.