Question
A parent inquired about their child’s growth, who weighed 8 pounds at birth and increased to 13 pounds after 110 days. They wanted to know if this rate of growth was normal. Additionally, the parent wondered if heavier babies at birth would have faster weight gain in later stages. Does increased weight gain indicate improper feeding? Moreover, the parent mentioned knowing another child who was born weighing 6 pounds and now also weighs 13 pounds, asking if this indicates that the child is overweight.
Answer
According to baby weight gain, the weight (in kilograms) for the first 6 months can be calculated using the following formula: birth weight + age in months × 0.7. Using this calculation, a baby who is 110 days old (almost four months) should weigh 4 + 4 × 0.7 = 6.8 kilograms, or 13.6 pounds. Therefore, the child’s weight is within the normal range. The growth of a baby’s weight does not proceed at an accelerated rate, meaning…