Monitor your baby’s development
Your baby may lose about one-tenth of their birth weight in the first few days after birth. This is the process of removing the excess edema on it. By the 10th day after birth, your baby regains the lost weight and reaches birth weight. If your baby continues to gain weight, it indicates that he is healthy and well fed. It is expected to take an average of 50 grams per day.
If your baby does not reach the birth weight again by the second week, seek help from the health personnel. They will tell you the reasons for this situation and what you need to do.
Weigh your baby once a month for the first six months, and then once every two months. You can follow up your baby regularly through your family doctor. In these follow-ups, they will inform you about your baby’s development process and any negativities.
Whether the infants’ height, head circumference, and weight are healthy for their age are monitored according to the average height, head circumference and weight of the infants at that age. Expected weight and height are compared with your baby’s findings.
While watching the healthy development of babies, feeding them with breast milk or formula is not evaluated differently. In both cases, it is desirable to approach the targets.
Boys and girls have different charts because boys tend to be slightly heavier and taller, and their growth patterns are slightly different. For this reason, male and female infants are followed separately.
Your baby’s height and weight usually increase or decrease parallel to each other. Rarely, this can break. It is normal for babies to have height and weight differences due to different genetic and socioeconomic characteristics.
Abnormal low or excess in your baby’s height or weight or around the head can be an indicator of many diseases. In these cases, you should consult your doctor.
Usually, your baby gains weight the fastest in the first 6 to 9 months. Their growth rate will slow over time as they become toddlers and more active.
If your baby or toddler is sick, weight gain may slow for a while. It usually returns to normal within 2 to 3 weeks.
All physical and psychological characteristics of your baby are examined from the newborn period. For example, the features that should be observed for your baby in the newborn period may be:
- Whether there is a hearing impairment,
- Some diseases, such as hypothyroidism,
- Some genetic diseases
- Sucking reflex,
- The gap between your eyebrows,
- Alignment of the outer edge of the eye and the upper junction of the ears,
- Fontanelle opening,
- Skin color,
- Head shape,
- Nasal congestion,
- Having a whole palate and lip,
- Perfect and complete hands and fingers,
- Equal number of hip lines
- Hip joint structure,
- Perfect foot reflexes
- Whether there is an umbilical hernia,
- The integrity and perfection of the genitals,
- Having a straight thorax
- Having internal organs in place and complete
As your baby grows, his neurological and psychological development is also monitored. As the nervous system develops, it is expected to acquire new abilities. If these skills are lacking, they are evaluated. For these reasons, ensure that your baby is followed up by the health teams at the frequency reported to you.