Many parents throughout the former Soviet Union face the problem when a child, in their opinion, or the opinion of doctors, is gaining weight poorly. Although it is worth noting that this topic is very "bloated." Thus, in countries in which the health of children as a whole is much higher than in countries that were former Soviet republics, the weight of a child is not generally considered a direct indicator of his health. If experts and pay attention to the deviation of the weight of the baby from the generally accepted norms, it is usually a situation where the child is diagnosed with obesity.
It is worthwhile to figure out when it really is about the lack of body weight, when it is worth to beat the alarm and take action, and when the excitement is groundless. Consider the criteria for a "correct" set of body weight of the baby.
In 2006, WHO (World Health Organization) published updated norms on the weight and height of children (for children from birth to 5 years) on its website. Developed these norms following the results of long-term comprehensive observations of almost eight and a half thousand healthy children living in different countries. All these children were naturally breastfed, then received complementary foods according to WHO recommendations. Below are the new weight norms for girls and boys.
| Age of the child / Body weight (kg) | The lower limit of the norm, boys | The upper limit of the norm, boys | The lower limit of the norm, girls | The upper limit of the norm, girls |
| 1 month | 3.4 | 5.8 | 3.2 | 5.5 |
| 2 months | 4.4 | 7.1 | 3.9 | 6.6 |
| 3 months | 5 | 8 | 4.6 | 7.5 |
| 4 months | 5.6 | 8.7 | 5 | 8.3 |
| 5 months | 6th | 9.4 | 5.4 | 8.8 |
| 6 months | 6.4 | 9.8 | 5.8 | 9.4 |
| 7 months | 6.7 | 10.3 | 6th | 9.8 |
| 8 months | 6.9 | 10.7 | 6.3 | 10.2 |
| 9 months | 7.2 | eleven | 6.5 | 10.6 |
| 10 months | 7.4 | 11.4 | 6.7 | 10.9 |
| 11 months | 7.6 | 11.7 | 6.9 | 11.3 |
| 1 year | 7.7 | 12 | 7th | 11.5 |
| 2 years | 9.7 | 15.3 | 9 | 14.8 |
| 3 years | 11.3 | 18.4 | 10.8 | 18.2 |
| 4 years | 12.7 | 21.2 | 12.2 | 21.5 |
| 5 years | 14.1 | 24.2 | 13.8 | 24.9 |
It should be noted that the published standards of the World Health Organization are not mandatory, but recommendatory. However, in practice in most countries of the world they are taken into account. Among the Russian pediatricians, as well as specialists from the countries of the former USSR, new standards are "not in the process." For the most part, they simply do not know about the updated standards and use the data developed thirty or forty years ago by the observations of children, who were mostly artisans. Therefore, children, for example, at the age of six months, weighing 6 kg, get a diagnosis of "dystrophy", although according to new standards for such a diagnosis absolutely no reason.
Thus, if the pediatrician thinks that the child does not gain enough weight, but that his weight is normal according to the criteria of the World Health Organization, there is no need to take any measures. Do not change the diet to a higher-calorie diet, if it is a child over the age of the year, you do not need to supplement the baby with a mixture, if talking about a baby. Moreover, no medications should be given that are necessary to correct metabolism. If the weight fits in the rules, but the parents think that the baby is too thin, one should remember that "a child grows up, not a suckling pig."
Below is a list of the most common myths concerning the weight of a child. These prejudices and erroneous opinions exist among mothers and grandmothers and are passed on to young mothers.
If the child's nutrition is not carried out according to the three-meals schedule, that is, the baby is fed in fractional, then he may have problems with weight gain. In general, this statement is not at all true. The fractional food opposite much more corresponds to the needs of the baby, if viewed from the physiological point of view. And in itself, such a diet can not cause a deficit in body weight. Although if there is a need for a significant and early recruitment of weight, then it is necessary to provide food three times a day. At the same time with each meal should be present at least two dishes.
The baby does not gain weight because the mother has "empty milk." Milk in principle can not be "empty", it always contains the necessary substances that contribute to the growth and development of the child. If a nursing mother includes certain foods in her diet, the fat content of milk may grow slightly, but it will not have a significant effect on the increase in the weight of the baby, as shown by numerous studies.
If the child does not eat well, then it must be fed compulsorily, otherwise it can lead to exhaustion. The children have developed the instinct of self-preservation, and therefore, with access to food the child will never bring himself to physical exhaustion. If the child has a bad appetite, then you should play with him more in the air, exercise, and not force-feed.