Ideal weight at birth: what is the best weight for a newborn baby?

When a child is born, people often ask about the baby’s weight first. Parents panic if their baby is too small or too big. If there is one thing parents would like, it would be for their child to fall into the middleweight. So what is the average weight of newborns? Average birth weight is 7.5 pounds, but the normal weight range is 5.5-10 pounds and about 5% of newborns are in this range.

Full-term and healthy newborns come in different sizes. Babies born between 37 and 40 weeks gestation have a birth weight of around 6 to 9 pounds. Whereas, babies born less than 5 pounds are considered low birth weight. Those born under 3 pounds are classified as extremely low birth weight – They are premature babies born before the 36th week of pregnancy. The risk associated with low birth weight includes breathing and feeding problems, heart failure, immature liver function, and problems regulating body temperature.

Newborns weighing more than 9 pounds are classified as high birth weight. Factors that can contribute to your large weight gain include being Hispanic, mothers who gain more weight during pregnancy and the birth of a child. The gender of the baby influences birth weight because baby boys tend to be heavier than girls.

The firstborn tends to be smaller than their siblings. Having twins or multiple babies also results in smaller babies due to the limited space in the mother’s uterus. Also, Caucasian babies are larger compared to Native American, Asian, or African American babies.

If the mother is overweight, she tends to have a heavier baby. But, if the mother cannot get the proper amount of nutrients during pregnancy, she may have a low birth weight baby. The mother’s weight and diet before and during pregnancy is a crucial factor influencing her baby’s birth weight. Prenatal health is a key factor that influences the weight of the baby. During pregnancy, moms should also avoid smoking and drinking.

Mothers who have just given birth should not be alarmed if after leaving the hospital, their baby’s weight drops by 7-10%. This is actually normal because the baby is losing fluid, which is normal after a few days of delivery. Sooner or later, you will gain weight and put on more pounds in the next few weeks or months.

As your baby grows, a regular visit to the doctor is necessary to monitor his weight gain. It is also important to monitor your baby’s weight and height to see how well he is doing compared to his peers.

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