Weight Gain Issue Among Exclusive Breast Feed Baby

Doctor sahab my baby is not gaining weight properly or not eating anything is the one of the major complain in any parenting forum and in my clinic also. This blog is dedicated to those parents who always concerned about baby weight. I will try to cover all step by step. This post is only for exclusive breast feeding baby means below 6 months of age baby. At birth baby weight should be approximately 3kg or more than that. Less than 2.5 kg is low birth weight. Babies lost there weight in initial days and regain there birth weigh around 10th to 14 th day of life. In first 3 months growth rate is approximately 25 to 30 gm per day after that it will increase @ 400 gms per month till 1 year. Weight will double at 5 months and triple at 1 year. Usually we compare our baby weight with others and get frustrated our baby is not healthy. We expect chubby photogenic baby. So here I will try to explain the whole story.

Let's start from the very beginning the story start the day we decide to have a baby. Maternal nutritional status and medical fitness have a mojour role. Single infection can cause low birth weight baby or preterm. In us dental infection is one of the majour cause of preterm baby. We adviced to consult couples before and after pregnancy for any problem. You can have folic acid 3monthes before concepction. Mother, short interval of previous pregnancy, maternal hemoglobin level, nutritional status, high bp (pih, viral infection, bleeding per vaginal, chromosomal abnormalities can be cause of low birth wight, prematuered or iugr baby. Women should have healthy food, do some light exercise and try to live stress free life.

In second part of story baby born with certain weight and maturity. Weight less than 2.5 kg is low birth weight and birth before 37 weeks called premature baby. Baby weight gain is mostly affected by recurrent infection and feeding and temperature for initial days.
 

Temperature regulation:
Too hot or too cold weather can affect weight. Try to wear one extra clothes what we are wearing like if we are comfortable in half shirt we can wear him full shirt or if we are comfortable in full shirt we can wear him a half sweater more. In winter we have wear him cap and shocks but in summer only cotton jhabla is sufficient. 

Infection control:
New born babies had low immunity so chances of infection is much more. To prevent infection you should remember these things

• try to touch baby after hand wash and try to not touch the above the wrist joint. We touch by infected hand and baby keep the same hand in his mouth get stomach infection.
• don't give any antibiotics without without consulting doctor and complete full course of antibiotics
• immunize your child as per schedule.
• avoid bottle feed if possible and if you are using it should be properly sterilized.

Feeding:
Exclusive breast feeding is adviced till 6 months. There is either problem in milk production and ejection or technique of feeding.

• Milk production and ejection: Milk production is controlled by prolactin harmone. For most part of milk production is use it or loose it process. The more often baby nurse the more milk you make. Oxytocin harmone is responsible for milk ejection. Suckling, thought of the baby, sound and sight of
• Baby stimulate milk ejection: Stress is the major suppress of milk ejection. Plenty of water, milk, apricot, poppy seed, papaya, oatmeal, carrot, bottle ground, funnel seed, basal leaf, can be used to augmentation of milk production.
• Breast feeding: Proper positioning and attachment is necessary for successful breast feeding. Try to feed baby with one breast at a time so baby can get for milk and hind milk both. For flat or inverted nipple can be corrected by syringing method. Tounge tie or fungal infection can be cause of improper feeding. Feed your baby on demand or every 2hr. If baby satisfied he should sleep 2 to 3 hrs after feeding, passes 6 to 8 time urine. 5 to10 min sufficient for feeding if your baby takes half an hour means you had less milk production. Initial 3monthes feeding frequency8 to10 times day after 7 to 8 times a day may be sufficient.
• Condition related to baby: For preterm and low birth weight kangaroo mother care is very useful. Where baby is kept in vertical position between the mother breast under the clothes so both skin can be in touch. You have to keep baby at least 1 to 2 hrs in a single sitting and as long as you can. It helping milk production and weight gain of baby. Repeated infection of respiratory tract, stomach infection, urinary tract infection, some congenital infection, metabolic disorder may cause slow weight gain. Neurological insult during delivery may cause slow weight gain with delayed mile stones.
• Motherhood is a great honor and privilage: It is the most challenging and utmost satisfying job, and as in every job first year is most difficult one with less paying with no vacation. As a man we never understand these things. So big salaute to those moms who day and night care there baby and wish best of luck.