When Parents If you feel your baby is too thin compared to other children of the same age, try to find out the cause. Indeed, there are several conditions in which a baby is considered too thin and Parentsmust be aware of it. To find out, here is a complete explanation of skinny babies and how to deal with them.
Is Your Baby Thin or Underweight?
“Did you feed the baby?”“I think you should add formula milk, so your baby will be fatter!” “You should eat more, so your baby will be fatter too…”
Who, really, doesn’t get excited by a baby’s body that looks like ‘torn bread’? However, a skinny baby body is also not what you want. So far Parentsfeel that you have breastfed him properly, his appetite is also good, the baby looks active, and does not experience any worrying health complaints. In other words, Parents don’t understand why the baby’s body still looks smaller than other babies of the same age.
In the Maternal and Child Health (KIA) book – given during routine pregnancy check-ups – there is a child growth chart recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
This chart is based on years of high-quality research, and applies to both girls and boys. In general, a baby is considered underweight if their weight falls on the chart line shown in yellow at the bottom.
Note: Measuring weight using the body mass index (BMI) formula only applies to adults, not babies.
Signs of a Healthy Baby
Health complaints or baby’s activity can be an indicator of whether the baby is healthy or not. The pediatrician may explain to the babyParentsthat the sign of a healthy and active little one is when he is able to use his head, roll over, and stand on his own feet. And one more important thing is, his appetite is good.
Some signs that your baby is not getting enough breast milk or food are:
- His body is weak
- Not breastfeeding well, either from the mother’s nipple or from a bottle
- Rare or irregular urination and defecation
- Failure to thrive. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, the diagnosis of failure to thrive is when the baby’s weight is below the WHO recommended line. In many cases, failure to thrive is usually caused by a lack of nutritional intake in babies (in this case breast milk and solids). And usually this problem can be easily overcome by increasing the intensity of breastfeeding. There is also failure to thrive caused by genetic conditions or other health problems.
- Digestive problems, such as acid reflux or celiac disease. These conditions can make your baby not want to breastfeed or eat and can result in poor growth.
- Babies with special needs or other health problems, such asDown syndrome, heart problems, Prader-Willi syndrome, and Marfan syndrome,cystic fibrosis,cerebral palsy, and other underlying disorders related to growth. If your baby has special needs, use a growth chart specifically for children like this one.
3 Causes of Skinny Babies
It is said that babies who drink formula gain weight faster than babies who consume breast milk. Is that true?
If the baby’s weight gain is in accordance with the numbers on the chart, but the baby still looks thin, this could be the reason as explained. Healthline:
1. Genetics Can Cause Skinny Babies
Sometimes, genetic factors play a role in your baby’s weight. So if Parentsor a thin partner, it is natural that your baby will be too. Genetically thin can also appear after infancy, precisely at the age of 1 or 2 years.
2. Low Birth Weight
Low birth weight (LBW) is a term used to describe babies born with the following characteristics:
- The baby weighs less than 5 pounds 8 ounces (or 2,500 grams)
- The baby’s head looks bigger than the rest of the body.
- Looks thin with little body fat.
- Possibility (long term) of having many serious health problems.
3. Exclusive Breast Milk vs Formula Milk
It may sound stereotypical, but babies who are exclusively breastfed and those who are formula-fed often show differences in weight gain in the first year of life.
A 2012 study found that babies who were exclusively breastfed gained weight slowly during the first year. In contrast, babies who were formula-fed gained significantly more weight.
However, this does not mean that babies who are formula-fed are healthier than babies who receive exclusive breastfeeding or vice versa, yes, Mom.
How to Increase Baby’s Weight
Launch Healthline, here are ways that can be done to increase the weight of a thin baby.
1. Breastfed Babies
Continue breastfeeding your little one regularly. Also, pay attention to whether the attachment that you do is correct or not? You can also consult a lactation counselor to check whether the baby is breastfeeding properly or has a condition that makes it difficult for him to breastfeed.
In addition, to increase breast milk supply, mothers can breastfeed their babies every 1 or 2 hours. The more often mothers breastfeed their little ones, the better the breast milk production.
2. Formula-Fed Babies
After the first few months, formula-fed babies usually gain weight more quickly than breast-fed babies. However, what happens if a baby who is given formula milk does not gain weight?
The first one that can Parents do is consider changing the formula. If your baby Parentsshows signs of allergy to the formula used, try switching to another brand of formula. Check with your pediatrician if your baby shows signs of reflux, eczema, diarrhea, constipation, or other problems.
Then, make sure the formula is mixed properly. Because following the mixing instructions on the formula is very important. The right balance of water to powder is very important. Too much water can mean the baby is not getting enough calories and can be dangerous.
Don’t forget, before adding anything to baby formula, it’s best to consult a pediatrician first. The doctor will tell you.Parentsabout what is safe and healthy for babies.
3. Babies who have been given complementary foods
Moms can add healthy fats to their baby’s MPASI, such as olive oil and avocado, which are packed with calories and health benefits. The oleic acid contained in both can reduce inflammation, plus you get some omega-3 fats that are great for the brain.
In addition, choose meat with more calories, and you can also add cheese to your little one’s food. Don’t forget, choose fruits that have higher calorie content such as bananas, pears, and avocados.
Causes of Low Birth Weight
Babies born with low birth weight can be caused by health problems in the baby and also the mother. Here are LBW caused by the baby’s condition:
- Born too early (premature) or before 37 weeks of gestation.
- Intrauterine growth restriction (Intrauterine growth restriction/IUGR) where this occurs when the baby does not grow properly while in the womb due to problems with the placenta, the mother’s health, or the baby’s health.
- Being born as a twin. Low birth weight babies can happen to twins – it can happen during the first few months of life or even later.
In addition to problems with the baby, there are also several risks that affect pregnant women giving birth to babies with low birth weight. Among them are as written University of Rochester Medical Centeron its page:
- Preeclampsia
- Infections during pregnancy cytomegalovirus (CMV), toxoplasmosis, chickenpox, andrubella.
- She did not gain weight during pregnancy
- Poor pregnancy nutrition
- Previous pregnancies with BLBR babies also
- Smoke
- Consuming alcohol or using drugs
- Under 17 years old or over 35 years old
- African-American background
However, it is important to remember that whether a baby is born with a low, normal, or high birth weight, their weight will fluctuate during their development.
3 Ways to Diagnose a Skinny Baby
Whether a baby is thin or not during pregnancy or in the early stages of life can be diagnosed while still in the womb. Namely through regular prenatal check-ups – this is one of the goals of prenatal check-ups, namely to ensure that the baby is growing well.
During pregnancy, your baby’s size will be estimated in the following ways:
1. Calculating the mother’s weight gain during pregnancy
2. Measurement of the fundus (top of the uterus)
Namely as follows:
- To check fundal height, your healthcare provider measures from the top of your pubic bone to the top of your uterus.
- Fundal height is measured in centimeters (cm). It is roughly equivalent to the number of weeks of pregnancy after week 20. For example, at 24 weeks of pregnancy, the fundal height should be close to 24 cm.
- If the fundal height is less than expected, it is likely that the baby is not growing properly.
3. Ultrasonography (USG)
Your healthcare provider will use a fetal ultrasound to check your baby’s growth and development. This is more accurate than checking fundal height. The sound waves in the ultrasound will create images of your baby and take measurements of your baby’s head, abdomen, upper leg bones (femurs), and an estimate of your baby’s weight.
How to Deal with Low Birth Weight Babies
Treatment for low birth weight babies is adjusted to the symptoms, age, general health, and severity of the condition, where treatment includes:
- Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) care
- Temperature controlled bed (incubator)
- Special feeding, such as through an IV (intravenous) line
Babies with low birth weight can catch up on their physical growth if they do not have serious health complications – they need to follow a special health care program.
Risk of Complications in BLBR Babies
Babies with low birth weight, such as premature babies, often experience problems. For example, their tiny bodies are not as strong as babies with normal birth weight, their body temperature is difficult to warm because they do not have much fat in their bodies, and they have difficulty breastfeeding (sucking) because their bodies are weak, gaining weight, and also fighting infections. Premature babies more or less also experience the same thing, plus complications such as the following:
- Low oxygen levels at birth
- Problems with breathing and immature lungs (infant respiratory distress syndrome)
- Nervous system problems (bleeding in the brain or intraventricular hemorrhage)
- There are digestive problems (serious intestinal inflammation ornecrotizing enterocolitis)
- Problems with internal organ function including problems with brain function, heart, intestines, and more.
- Problems with blood sugar. Underweight babies have trouble regulating their blood sugar where they use sugar faster than they can produce it, resulting in very low blood sugar levels.
- SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)
- Jaundice (jaundice)
- Persistent ductus arteriosus (PDA) where the open blood vessel needed for fetal circulation does not close properly at birth allowing extra blood to flow through the lungs.
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), an eye disease in which the retina does not develop properly.
LBW babies are also at risk of experiencing long-term complications and disabilities, such as:
- cerebral palsy
- Blindness
- Deafness
- Developmental delay
Talk to your baby’s healthcare provider for information about your baby’s risk for complications.
Prevention Methods
IfParentsDon’t want your baby to be born underweight, you can prevent the risk of complications of the above diseases in several ways. Namely:
- Preventing premature birth is one of the best ways to prevent a baby from being born with a low birth weight.
- Regular prenatal care is also the best way to prevent premature birth and low birth weight babies.
- Following a healthy diet during pregnancy will help you gain enough and healthy weight, and also help your baby grow optimally in the womb.
- Do not consume: alcohol, smoke, or use drugs.
When to See a Doctor and Should I Worry When My Baby is Thin?
It is only natural that Parentsfeel worried about your little one’s thin body condition. If you feel worried, consult a pediatrician immediately.
Your doctor will educate you on how to recognize the warning signs of a child who is failing to thrive, and will perform a physical exam. Take consistent measurements at each visit and track your baby’s growth over time.
For those of you who are still exclusively breastfeeding your little one, doctors will generally advise you to breastfeed more often and increase breast milk production by consuming highly nutritious foods.
Also consult whether you need to increase your baby’s nutritional intake through formula or MPASI.
Hopefully this article is useful and helps you deal with skinny babies.
Republished with permission from theAsianParent Indonesia
