Family Doctor Health Advisor
Children: Babies under one
Sleeping problems in babies | Excessive crying | Fever in babies | Vomiting in babies | Diarrhoea in babies | Feeding problems | Slow weight gain | Skin problems in babies
Children: All ages
Feeling generally unwell | Tiredness | Sleeping problems in children | Growth problems | Excessive weight gain | Fever in children | Rash with fever | Skin problems in children | Hair, scalp, and nail problems | Itching | Lumps and swellings | Dizziness, fainting, and seizures | Headache | Confusion and/or drowsiness | Clumsiness | Speech difficulties | Behaviour problems | School difficulties | Eye problems | Disturbed or impaired vision | Painful or irritated ear | Hearing problems | Runny or blocked nose | Sore throat | Coughing | Breathing problems | Mouth problems | Teeth problems | Eating problems | Vomiting in children | Abdominal pain | Diarrhoea in children | Constipation | Abnormal-looking faeces | Urinary problems | Toilet-training problems | Genital problems in boys | Genital problems in girls | Painful arm or leg | Joint and back problems | Foot problems | Limping
Children: Adolescents
Adolescent weight problems | Adolescent behaviour problems | Problems with puberty in boys | Problems with puberty in girls | Adolescent skin problems
Slow weight gain
For children over 1, see Growth problems.
Consult this chart if you are worried that your baby is gaining weight too slowly. Most babies lose some weight in their first week of life (see Weight loss in the newborn), and this is not usually a cause for concern. After this, babies should put on weight at a steady rate. Your baby will be weighed and measured regularly at your local baby clinic, and his or her growth will be plotted on growth charts so that any problems can be detected early. In the first year of life, growth is faster than at any other time and key body systems such as the nervous system are developing rapidly. For this reason, nutrition is particularly important at this time (see Nutritional requirements of babies).
Does your baby seem unwell - for example, is he or she slow to feed or does he or she seem lethargic or irritable?
Yes 10 No 2Nutritional requirements of babies
Babies need a diet that is relatively high in energy (kilojoules), high in fat, low in fibre, and low in salt. It should contain enough protein for growth and carbohydrate for energy needs. If you are vegetarian, you can bring your baby up on the same type of diet as yourself but you need to be careful that it includes sufficient iron. A vegan diet without supplements is not considered to be nutritionally complete for a baby. The most convenient way to supplement the diet of these babies is to give them vitamin drops which are available from baby clinics.
If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet get advice from a dietitian or your doctor before starting your baby on a similar diet to ensure the baby receives sufficient iron and Vitamin B12 in the following section Self-help introducing solids to your baby.
|
Age in months |
Approximate daily requirements |
|||
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Iron | |
| Up to 3 | 485 kJ/kg | 13 g | 4 g | 2 mg |
| 3-6 | 420 kJ/kg | 13 g | 4 g | 4 mg |
| 6-9 | 400 kJ/kg | 14 g | 4 g | 8 mg |
| 9-12 | 420 kJ/kg | 20 g | 4 g | 9 mg |
Self-Help Introducing solids to your baby
By the time your baby is 6 months old he or she is ready for solids to be added to the diet while continuing to receive milk feeds. If you are breast-feeding you are encouraged to continue until 12 months or beyond. Start by introducing your baby to puréed fruit or vegetables and baby rice cereal. Gradually introduce other foods and textures. Avoid cows' milk, honey, or foods containing nuts until he or she is at least 12 months.
|
Age |
Suggested weaning programme |
| 6-9 months | Offer your baby yoghurt and puréed foods, including fruit, such as bananas, vegetables, pulses, and infant rice cereal. You can now give mashed or minced food, including eggs (as long as they are hard-boiled), beef, fish, and chicken. You can also offer finger foods, such as toast, small cubes of apple, or bits of hard cheese. |
| 9-12 months | Introduce more variety into the diet, and provide food that contains small pieces, such as peas and chopped carrots. |
| Over 12 months | Your baby can now have the same diet as the rest of the family; but avoid salt and sugar, and give him or her full-cream, rather than semi-skimmed, milk. |
Weight loss in the newborn
Your baby may lose weight in the first week of life; however, this is unlikely to be a cause for concern. Most babies, particularly if they are breast-fed, may lose up to 7-10% of their birth weight in the first few days after delivery. This weight loss is normal and is partly due to the relatively small amount of food they need initially. In addition, newborn babies need to adjust to life outside the uterus and now have to take in, digest, and absorb their food, rather than have it supplied through the placenta. Most babies start to gain weight by the 5th day and are usually back to their birth weight by about 10-14 days after delivery.
Your baby will probably be weighed by the nurse several times after birth. Once your baby has regained his or her birth weight, he or she should continue to put on weight at a steady rate. For the first 3 months, your baby should gain 150g or more a week. By about 6 months, a baby should have roughly doubled his or her birth weight.
Family Doctor Health Advisor is for information purposes only, and is designed as a general reference and catalyst to seeking further information.
The RACGP is not engaged in providing medical or other advice or services, and is not responsible for the results of any actions taken by any person on the basis of any information in this publication, or for any error in, or omission from, this publication.
Publication Date: 31 March 2009
Authorised By: RACGP
