Turinys
Monitor baby’s growth chart
Just because a baby has dimples on the buttocks or small folds on the thighs doesn’t mean that it is too big. Before 2 years old, children gain more weight than they grow and this is quite normal. They generally become thinner with walking. So, before worrying, we talk about it with the pediatrician or the doctor who follows the child. He will know how to best judge the situation. Especially since the appreciation of a baby’s weight is only of interest if it is related to his size. You can calculate your body mass index (BMI). This is the result obtained by dividing its weight (in kilos) by its height (in meters) squared. Example: for a baby weighing 8,550 kg for 70 cm: 8,550 / (0,70 x 0,70) = 17,4. Her BMI is therefore 17,4. To find out if it corresponds to that of a child of his age, simply refer to the corresponding curve in the health record.
Adjust your child’s diet
Often, an overly chubby baby is simply an overfed baby. Thus, it is not because he cries at the end of his bottle that it is necessary to automatically increase the quantity. Her needs have been established, age by age, and the pediatrician can help you identify them as well as possible. In the same way, from 3-4 months, only four meals are needed. A baby this age begins to sleep through the night. He usually takes a last feed around 23 p.m. and asks for the next one around 5-6 a.m.
We are worried about possible reflux
You might think that a baby who suffers from reflux tends to lose weight. In fact, the reverse is often the case. Indeed, to try to calm his pains (acidity, heartburn …), the baby asks for more to eat. Paradoxically, with the return of reflux, the pain also returns. If it is not the child who claims, we may be tempted to give him a feed again, hoping to calm his crying. Ultimately, the illness traps him in a sort of vicious cycle that ultimately causes him to gain too much weight. If he cries often and / or asks for more than he should, talk to his pediatrician.
Do not diversify your baby’s diet too early
During the first months, milk is the mainstay of baby’s nutrition. TOnce he composes his only diet, the child appreciates it and only asks for it when he is hungry. When the time comes for diversification, the baby discovers new flavors and takes a liking to them. Quickly, he gets used to salty, sweetness, establishes his preferences and sharpens his sense of gluttony. And that’s how he starts to cry out, even if he’s not really hungry. Hence the advantage of not diversifying as long as its development does not require anything other than milk, that is to say around 5-6 months. Proteins (meat, egg, fish) are also accused of making babies gain too much weight. This is why they are introduced later in their diet and must be given in less quantity than other foods.
We encourage him to move!
It is difficult to exercise when you remain seated in your deckchair or in your high chair. Just like the adult, the baby needs, at his level, physical activity. Do not hesitate to put it on an awakening mat from the first months. On the stomach, he will work on the tone of his back, his neck, his head, then his arms. When he can crawl and then crawl on all fours, it is also the muscles of his legs that he will be able to exercise. Play with him: make him pedal with his legs, train to walk. Without imposing on him the training of a high level athlete, make him move and spend a little of the energy he keeps in him.
Do not get your child used to snacking
A small cake, a piece of bread… You think it can’t hurt her. This is true, unless they are given outside of meals. It’s hard to explain to a child that snacking is bad if you yourself have got it used to it. Of course, some, around the age of 2, find a way to snack without your permission. If your baby is already chubby, watch his eating behaviors and avoid bad habits as much as possible. In the same way, the excess of candy is also to fight.