What is the Ideal Birth Weight?

The minimum birth weight of your baby should be two and a half kgs. Birth weight up to four kgs is considered normal.

Babies weighing below two kgs are considered to be low birth weight. Babies weighing anything between one to one and a half kgs are considered as severely underweight.

Even if your baby is underweight, you need not worry.

Underweight babies have a way of coping with the weight. This is called "catch up growth". These babies start gaining weight faster than babies with a normal weight.

Feed Your Baby

You need to feed an underweight baby more frequently than a normal weight baby. For the first six months, you need to feed your baby with breast milk.

However, if you think your breast milk is not enough, you can start feeding her cow's milk as well. But remember to seek your paediatrician's advice before you start.

If the paediatrician feels that your baby is not gaining proper weight, he may ask you to feed your baby with buffalo's milk as it has more fat content than cow's milk.

Once your baby completes six months, she may be put on special formula milk like LBW Lactodex. This is special formula milk for low birth weight babies.

You can also add ghee to her food once you start solids.

Do Tonics Help?

Dr P.V. Vaidyanathan, a paediatrician and a child specialist says that tonics do not normally help in increasing your baby's weight. However, there are special oils available in the market, which could be prescribed by your paediatrician.

These oils are dietary supplements and are supposed to be added to the baby's milk or expressed breast milk. These can be given even to a newborn.

Besides this, you can also give vitamin supplements and calcium supplements to your baby.

Also Read: Calcium for Children

Problems Underweight Babies Have

Your underweight babies will have poor immunity levels and will be more prone to infections than normal weight babies. She could also be anaemic.

If your baby is severely underweight say less than 700 gms, she may have problems with brain development. She may suffer from mental retardation, adds Dr. Vaidyanathan.

Ideal Weight Gain

Your baby should gain at least one kg per month for the first three months. After that she must gain at least half a kilo every month.

Prevent Low Birth Weight

Dr. Duru Shah, a gynaecologist from Breach Candy Hospital says if you want to prevent your baby from having a low birth weight, you need to eat healthy and follow your doctor's instructions while you are pregnant.

Check your haemoglobin levels and make sure you are not anaemic. Take your iron supplements properly. Include green leafy vegetables like spinach and beet root, dates or khajoor and fruits like pomegranate in your diet.

Also Read: Gain Weight Correctly During Pregnancy

Increase the proteins in your diet by having lots of dairy products, pulses, eggs, chicken and fish. If you have any medical disorder, make sure you need to get it treated.

Apart from following a proper and nutritious diet, if your doctor advises you to take rest for baby's growth, you must take it seriously and take rest. Rest helps in increasing blood circulation to your baby.

In spite of taking so much care, if your baby is born with a low birth weight, do not worry. You can help your baby gain a normal weight if you follow the paediatrician's instructions.