How to Help a Baby Gain Weight & Have Healthy Bowel Movements

Your baby's weight and length mean everything when you're a new parent. All you want is to have a healthy, happy, normal child. Each doctor visit confirms your hopes if your child measures at or above average. Some parents, however, become worried if their babies fall off the charts or are way below average. Some doctors call this "failure to thrive." While some physicians insist on seeing small babies more often, others relax and monitor from afar. If you want your baby to gain weight, this article will show you the steps to take while keeping his bowel movements nice and healthy.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bottle Baby food Butter

1. Feed your baby every 2 or 3 hours. Whether this means breast milk or formula, make sure he fills his belly at each feeding. For some babies, that means 3 ounces every feeding, while others can finish 6 ounces at a time.

2. Mix your baby's cereal with formula or breast milk. Although the instructions usually say you can use water, this won't help your baby gain any weight. Milk and formula add extra calories and help your baby's tummy digest solid food easier.

3. Feed your baby a bottle or put her to the breast before her meals with solids. Eating solid foods isn't about caloric intake until the age of 1. It's simply a social activity. Don't let her fill up on low-calorie foods. Make sure she fills up on her nutritious bottle or breast milk beforehand.

4. Add a tablespoon of baby food meat or a teaspoon of melted butter to pureed vegetables. When your child is old enough to begin eating baby food, typically doctors recommend starting with orange and yellow vegetables. The meat and butter help add some fat and calories to the meal.

5. Watch her bowel movements for any signs of constipation. Once you introduce solid foods, there might be a little shift in normalcy, but it should return shortly. If she becomes constipated, find cereal without iron.

Tips & Warnings

• Resist the urge to salt or overly season foods for your baby. His taste buds are much more sensitive than that of adults. Not only is the flavor too strong, it also sets up an unhealthy eating pattern.
• Don't get overly concerned about your child if he is below the 50th percentile in weight and height. Remember, there is a huge spectrum. If your child falls anywhere on that graph, he is considered "normal."

References

• AboutKidsHealth.com