It is believed that the birth of a large child is a real gift of fate for his parents. People say that the great weight of a newborn testifies to its strong health. And they say: "This hero"! But doctors do not always share this view. Is this a boon for a baby if he was born very large?
The birth of a large child - is it so good? After all, the norm and standards for weight and height of newborns are concepts rather conditional and they are periodically subject to revision. However, you can not without. Babies born with a body weight of 4 to 5 kg. and growth of 57 cm and above, neonatologists are classified as children exceeding the norm. Meanwhile, statistics say that in recent years, more and more are born large children. Scientists attribute this fact to the phenomenon of acceleration.
Sociologists compared the results of anthropological research conducted in the 1930s with modern data. It turned out that during this time the weight of the child's body at birth "grew" on average by 100-300 grams, and body length by 2-3 cm. According to experts, this is due to the progress of pharmacological and medical technologies, improving the quality of nutrition and quality of life in general. In our time there are fewer and fewer incurable diseases, women are easier to tolerate pregnancy.
Even during pregnancy during ultrasound diagnosis of the fetus, by measuring the size of its head, abdominal circumference and length of the femur, the doctor can see signs of acceleration. It turns out that according to these indicators the "heroes" outrun their peers for 2 weeks in comparison with the rate of fetal development for a certain period of pregnancy. In this case, large children are surprised not only by their body weight and growth at birth, but also by the pace of development. So, experts note that the increase in body weight in half, which is usually observed in infants at 5-6 months of age, in the children-accelerates occurs already in 4 months. Moreover, the chest circumference in such babies becomes larger than the head circumference also at the age of 4 months, while in most babies this is observed only at 6 months. In large children, the fontanel grows faster, the teeth soon erupt. It is noteworthy that with age "heroes" only accelerate the pace of development and increasingly differ from peers.
If the birth of a large child is the result of acceleration, why are not all mothers born to large children? Scientists call several reasons that contribute to the birth of a large baby. They are as follows:
- The size of the placenta. The large area, volume and thickness of the placenta (greater than 5 cm) increase the amount of blood circulating in it. Means that the metabolism becomes more intense, the rate of fetal development is accelerating.
- Repeated pregnancy. The results of scientific research show that with a repeated pregnancy, larger children are born. This is the most frequent occurrence after the third birth. Experts attribute this to an improvement in the conditions of intrauterine development.
- Heredity. The tall, slender parents are born the same children. Of course, they are taller and larger than their peers, who do not have too large parents.
- Migration leads to an increase in mixed marriages, causing genetic changes leading to the acceleration of offspring.
It is important to know.
The birth of a large child is not always associated with the phenomenon of acceleration. There are other reasons for the birth of large children. True, they can not be called positive:
- Endocrine-metabolic diseases of the future mother, such as obesity and diabetes. Obesity leads to the fact that free fatty acids pass from mom to fetus. As a result, the pancreas works in overtime, which leads to the birth of a large child. Diabetes mellitus is caused by an increase in the level of glucose in the blood, which leads to the appearance of a fat reserve. If a pregnant woman has diabetes mellitus, the fetus develops not quite evenly: his growth then slows down, then it flows faster.
- Obesity during pregnancy. It is not uncommon for a pregnant woman to begin to recover intensively, to regain weight. Those who found themselves in a similar situation, know that doctors do not approve of such a turn of events. After all, the blood increases the content of cholesterol, sugar, lipids. In order that this does not happen, the expectant mother should eat a balanced diet, observe the diet, control the consumption of spicy-flavored food. In addition, a pregnant woman should not neglect walking outdoors. They, of course, will benefit both the future mother and her baby.
- Overpopulation. Pregnancy, which lasts longer than 40 weeks, leads to a ripening of the placenta and fetus. As a result, the weight of the average baby reaches 4 or more kg, the length of the body and the circumference of the head increase.
He was born.
If the birth of a large baby is associated with the phenomenon of acceleration, the parents can only be happy that they managed to give birth to the real "hero" and do not worry that something is wrong with the child. If the weight and height of the newborn are caused by health problems, then in the future, mom and dad must follow all the doctor's recommendations so that the baby's development goes "according to plan".
The development of a large baby is closely monitored not only by neonatologists and pediatricians, but also by neuropathologists and endocrinologists. Specialists have noticed that large children are predisposed to diabetes and obesity, they have deviations in the neuropsychological status, they have an allergic background. That is why doctors closely monitor the pace of development and health of such babies. What are the problems most often encountered? What should mom know?
First , a large child is harder to bear. Therefore, his well-being largely depends on what the conditions for his passage through the patrimonial ways were. Because of their size, "giants" often receive nature trauma. Among them, such as fractures of the clavicle, bruises, shoulder paresis. Large children also notice neurologic disorders (anxiety, tremor - muscle twitching, changes in muscle tone and reflexes), which are associated with impaired cerebral circulation. Sometimes there are quite serious birth injuries. That's why doctors, making a pregnant ultrasound diagnosis, seeing a large fruit, often offer a cesarean section. If the size of the woman's pelvis does not match the expected size of the newborn, then there is no way to do without surgery. If the future mother herself is "large", then the child will not suffer. In any case, a pregnant woman should consult a specialist and exclude any possibility of birth trauma.
Secondly , the birth of a large baby by a woman suffering from diabetes, perhaps not yet identified, is not an exception, but a rule. And each of her subsequent children will be even larger than the previous one. Moreover, there is a serious danger that children will have endocrine disorders. That's why the health of newborns "heroes" is so closely monitored by physicians. Consultation of the endocrinologist is mandatory. If the family has relatives suffering from diabetes, and the future mother falls into a risk group, the doctors will conduct special treatment to prevent the birth of a large baby and that the child is not injured during fetal development.
Thirdly , even if you think that the birth of a large child is not related to health problems, it is still necessary to show the infants endocrinologist and to examine for the presence of a possible pathology. There are two possible changes in the situation: either you will make sure that everything is in order with the carapace, or the doctor will reveal something wrong and take timely measures. In any case, both are better than staying in ignorance.
Fourthly , mothers of large-scale should know that adaptation after birth in these babies is more difficult. If the usual babies are breathing during the first 3-5 days, the pulse becomes even, the heart starts to rhythmically work, the gastrointestinal tract enters its regime, then the time for adapting the giants can be two weeks. In addition, they are less active in comparison with their peers. But, as you know, there are exceptions to every rule.
Fifth , parents of large children should bear in mind that, in spite of their size, the carapace must eat as much food as the average child. In this case, a large child can still add more weight to his peers. If the mother is inclined to fullness, then the child may inherit a slow metabolism. To remedy the situation, parents should monitor the feeding of the child, walk more with him in the fresh air, offer him fun and moving games. Also, moms and dads of large children can recommend to write a youngster in the pool. He will certainly like it!
As soon as mother and her "hero" return home from the hospital, their motto and philosophy should be a healthy lifestyle. This means that the baby is needed daily:
- Massage;
- Gymnastics;
- Long walks in the fresh air;
- A balanced diet, of course, is best if it is mom's milk.
If the giant is on artificial feeding, parents should make a choice in favor of fermented milk mixtures. Specialists note that in large infants, the acidity of gastric juice is almost always reduced. For the same reason, the first lure should be fruit and vegetable puree, not porridge. And more: if you feed the baby with the mixtures, strictly observe the norm of dilution of the dry mixture in water, in no case exceeding its concentration. Counting the calorie rate for your baby, look at his age, not weight.
If parents are worried about the health of their baby, they should take seriously the recommendations of the doctor. Modern medicine and unearthly love of parents create real miracles. Let your baby grows like a real hero!