Baby Started Teething. Diet Plan To Increase Weight?

Hi
Thanks for your query.

Your daughter is near the lower limit of normal range of weight for her age.

This age is meant for introducing new foods. Since she is not eating solids, I am assuming that she is drinking more milk.

My advice is as follows:

If your daughter is bottle-feeding, then decrease her milk intake to less than 750 ml a day. If breast-feeding, then give feeds after solid food.

Do not give her bottle during night, so that she wakes up hungry.

Introduce one food at a time. Give at least one week’s time for introduction of second food. Do not force her to eat, as it will become a struggle at later stage. Let her be hungry and then give her food. Usually there should be an interval of around 3 hours between two feeds. Do not stretch the time of feed to more than half an hour. If she resists one particular food, introduce it again after a few days.

You may also look out for iron deficiency. But you can get it tested after 1 year of age. Give her appropriate vitamin supplements.

Keep her immunization up to date.

If you want her to gain weight fast, introduce more calories after 1 year of age. High calorie foods include cheese, butter, ice cream, buffalo milk, etc.
Make sure the environment around her is loving.

I want you to keep a track of your daughter's diet in a diary.
In addition, measure her weight regularly and note it down on a growth chart. The link to the growth is given below:

http://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/cht_wfa_girls_p_0_2.pdf

If she is active than there is no need to worry. Most probably, she is just a fussy eater. Most fussy eaters gain weight at a later age.

Hope I addressed your concerns. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards.
Dr Vaishalee Punj

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