Question
What should be considered when deciding whether to discontinue nurturing a full-term small-for-gestational-age baby, such as a baby born at full term but weighing below average? For example, a full-term small-for-gestational-age baby was born with a length of 42 centimeters and a weight of 2100 grams. After being breastfed exclusively for 5 months and 4 days, the baby’s weight only increased to 9.8 jin, and the length to 57.2 centimeters.
Answer
Although full-term small-for-gestational-age babies are born with lower birth weights, this is usually related to insufficient nutrition during pregnancy or limited intrauterine development. These infants may have congenital developmental abnormalities and are prone to deficiencies in vitamins and trace elements, resulting in lower immunity and increased susceptibility to infections. For a five-month-old baby with weight gain concerns, it is recommended to undergo blood tests, including trace elements and vitamin D, to systematically check for organic diseases. Therefore, full-term small-for-gestational-age babies can continue to be nurtured.