Tracking your newborn’s growth in height and weight over time gives your baby’s doctor a good sense of your child’s general health.
When a baby doesn’t gain weight at a healthy rate, she may be diagnosed with a condition called failure to gain weight (or failure to thrive). This usually happens if she isn’t eating well or isn’t absorbing or using nutrients properly. It could be due to a feeding problem, a gastrointestinal issue, or some other medical condition.
Healthcare providers will keep a close eye on your baby’s weight gain because good nutrition is crucial for your baby’s mental and physical development.
While you’re still in the hospital, a doctor or nurse will weigh your baby at birth and every 24 hours after birth. Your baby will be weighed again when you come in for your first doctor visits (usually in the first week after you leave the hospital and again when your baby is 10 to 14 days old) and at all your baby’s well-child visits during the first year. These measurements are recorded on your baby’s growth chart.
If your baby is having any health problems, including unexpected weight loss or jaundice, you may have to see the doctor more often in the first few weeks.