Question
A baby weighed 8 pounds at birth and, after 110 days, the weight increased to 13 pounds. Is this rate of weight gain considered normal? Moreover, is there a misconception that heavier babies at birth should grow more in later stages, and otherwise it might imply improper feeding? Additionally, if another baby weighing 6 pounds at birth also reaches 13 pounds in 110 days, can it be considered overweight?
Answer
According to the growth of a baby’s weight, the weight (in kilograms) for the first 6 months can be calculated using the formula: birth weight + age in months × 0.7. For this baby, 110 days is approximately four months, so the expected weight should be 4 + 4 × 0.7 = 6.8 kilograms, or 13.6 pounds. Therefore, the baby’s weight is within the normal range. The growth of a baby’s weight is not