The Best Foods for Your Baby to Gain Weight

Table of Content

• Baby Weight Charts: A Key Tool for Tracking Growth

• Best Foods for Your Baby to Gain Weight under 6 months

• Best Foods for Your Baby to Gain Weight for 6-8 months baby

• Best Foods for Your Baby to Gain Weight for 9-12 months baby

• Best Foods for Your Baby to Gain Weight for More Than 1 year old Baby

• Can your child get food allergies?

• When to See a Doctor

• Take-Home Points

• FAQ on The Best Foods for Your Baby to Gain Weight

Introduction

Welcoming an addition to your family is such a moment and it's only natural for parents to be curious about their baby's growth. While every child is unique, looking at baby weight charts can give you some insights into their development.

As a parent, it's important to recognize that healthy weight gain, in your one, signifies growth. By making sure they receive nutrition and equipping yourself with knowledge you can effectively support their development. Our comprehensive guide will walk you through evidence-based strategies. Suggest the best foods for your baby to gain weight. This way you can embark on this journey of parenting with confidence.

Baby Weight Charts: A Key Tool for Tracking Growth

As a parent, you always strive for what's best for your one. It's important to keep an eye on your baby's growth and development. That's where a valuable tool comes in handy. The baby weight chart offers insights.

Why are baby weight charts significant?

1. Tracking Progress: Baby weight charts work like a diary allowing you to document your baby's growth journey and monitor their progress over time.

2. Spotting Trends: By noting down your baby's weight, on the chart you can identify trends. Understand their growth patterns more effectively.

3. Early Detection of Issues: Observing drops or spikes in weight can serve as indicators of health concerns. Detecting these issues early is crucial for intervention.

Understanding the baby weight chart;

1. Percentiles: The chart is divided into percentiles that show where your baby's weight falls compared to babies in the age group. The 50th percentile represents the average.

2. Growth Curves: These curves displayed on the chart provide information about expected weight gain, at ages helping you assess if your baby is progressing appropriately.

Best Foods for Your Baby to Gain Weight under 6 months

The Best food for a baby under 6 months is breastfeeding, let's discuss why it is so. Breast milk has the following benefits:

• Breastfeeding: No other food is more nutritious than mother’s milk for the baby under 6 months. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. Exclusive breastfeeding means no other food is given except for the mother’s milk, even water is not given to the baby.

• Mother can consume Milk, garlic, greens, lentils, cumin, flax seeds, fennel seeds, almonds, and chickpeas as they increase milk production apart from this protein-rich diet can be taken by the mother to increase milk formation.

Best Foods for Your Baby to Gain Weight for 6-8 months baby

Till 6 months exclusive breastfeeding is enough to support the baby, but after 6 months as the baby grows breastfeeding alone is not sufficient to support optimal growth and development of the baby. 

For optimum growth and development of the baby and adequate weight gain, Complementary feeding along with breastfeeding needs to be started.

Before moving to the best foods for Indian babies to gain weight, we must understand, what is balanced food and complete food?. A complete food means, a food containing proteins, carbs, fibers, vitamins, minerals etc. whereas if these constituents are in appropriate proportion it is called a balanced food.

Indian Association of Pediatrics recommends foods that are balanced and adequate for an Indian baby to gain weight:

• Khichdi: Dal mixed with rice is considered a balanced food for a baby and is helpful for the baby to gain weight.

• Idli: Mashed idli can be fed to children as it is also a staple food. 

• Mashed banana: Bananas are a choice for boosting energy levels thanks to their sugars. Moreover, they provide nutrients like potassium and fiber that contribute to the growth and development of children. Many families opt for bananas as one of the foods for babies due to their convenient availability and appealing taste.

• Ragi: An ancient superfood, you can make ragi porridge by soaking ragi overnight.

• Kheer and  Dalia: A food can become balanced by adding nuts, and raisins like in milk to make dalia or kheer.

• Pulpy fruits like mango and papaya are packed with an abundance of vitamins, and vitamin A, which support the well-being of your eyes and skin. Contains a number of sugars and fiber contributing to maintaining a healthy weight.

• Sweet potatoes:  They are rich in beta-carotene which can support overall health.

• Oatmeal: Rich in fiber and essential nutrients. It is a source of complex carbohydrates.

• Peanut butter: Peanut butter contains healthy fats, protein and minerals like magnesium and vitamins like folate which helps in muscle and overall development of baby.

Honey should be avoided and never given to a baby younger than 1 year as it could lead to botulinum and choking.

The point to note is that the food should be nutrient-dense with appropriate consistency, you can mix complementary foods with ghee to make it nutrient-dense.

Best Foods for Your Baby to Gain Weight for 9-12 months baby

The baby-led weaning approach is advised by the Indian Association of Pediatrics i.e, feed as per the baby’s choices.  Some people also follow a traditional way of feeding. Either way, babies should be provided with mashed food which can be picked by baby hands.

Here are some best foods for your baby to gain weight for 9-12 months Indian baby:

• Eggs: Eggs offer a wealth of benefits including being a source of high-quality protein and vital nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. They play a role in supporting the growth and development of your child's muscles and brain. In cooking, eggs can be enjoyed in forms like scrambled or boiled providing a nutritious choice, for meals.

• Peas mashed with potatoes: This mix of peas and potatoes provides a blend of carbs and protein. It's easily digestible. Gives your child the energy they need for their lifestyle.

• Moong dal: Green gram, also known as moong dal is an ingredient in baby food. It is highly nutritious and packed with protein making it an ideal choice for infants. Moong dal can be prepared as a nourishing khichdi or dal providing nutrients to support healthy growth.

• Urad dal: Black gram, also referred to as urad dal is an option for a protein diet. It contains nutrients like iron and calcium that are vital for the healthy growth and development of children. Including this lentil in your child's meals is effortless as you can prepare dishes such as urad dal porridge or dosa.

• Hummus: The main ingredient of Hummus is chickpeas, hummus provides essential fats and fibers

• Avocados: Avocados make a healthy option, for infants, between 9 and 12 months of age. They contain fats that contribute to calorie intake supporting healthy weight gain.

• Chia seeds: During this stage of a child's development incorporating chia seeds into their diet can provide advantages. Chia seeds are rich in nutrients, like omega-3 fatty acids, protein and fiber.

Best Foods for Your Baby to Gain Weight for More Than 1 year old Baby

Staple family foods are given for more than 1 year for a baby to gain weight, if the baby is not able to chew properly it could be mashed or chopped into small pieces. Here are some foods which can your 1 year baby to gain weight:

• Fish: Fish is a choice for babies as it contains protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which can support healthy weight gain and brain development. Consider options like rohu, pomfret and mackerel.

• Olive Oil or Avocado Oil: Opt for healthy fats from olive oil or avocado oil. These oils provide calories. Help with nutrient absorption ensuring a more balanced approach to supporting your child's weight gain.

• Jowar Dosa: Jowar is a whole grain that makes jowar dosa a wholesome option for active toddlers. It's easily digestible. Provides energy to keep them going.

• Paneer: Paneer is a source of protein and calcium making it ideal for supporting bone development and muscle growth in one-year-olds who are looking to gain weight 

• Chikoo: Chikoo, also known as sapota is a fruit that offers sugars to boost your child's calorie intake in a safe and tasty way while providing energy-rich goodness.

• Nuts: Incorporating almonds, cashews and walnuts into your child's meals can provide healthy fats, protein and essential nutrients for added nutrition benefits.

• Yogurt: Yogurt is rich in probiotics that aid digestion and promote absorption—an addition to your child's diet. It also provides protein and healthy fats to promote weight gain.

Can your child get food allergies?

Although food allergies are not as common in Indian children as in developed countries like the United States, still one can go for a 3-day test rule for baby food which means giving one food at a time and waiting for 2-3 days and looking for symptoms like rash, runny nose, diarrhea or vomiting.

Here is some food that can cause allergies in Indian baby:

• Cow’s Milk protein 

• Soya protein

• Eggs

• Peanuts

• Some food additives

• Spices

• Tree nuts

• Fish

When to See a Doctor

Knowing when to seek guidance for your baby's health is incredibly important. The specific signs that indicate the need to consult a healthcare professional are

• Faltering Growth: If your baby's growth rate significantly slows down it's advisable to schedule a visit with a doctor. This can be identified if their weight consistently falls on percentiles on the growth chart.

• Weight Gain: A sudden and excessive increase in your baby's weight may also necessitate a trip to the doctor. This could be an indication of overfeeding or health concerns.

• Digestive Issues: Continuous digestive problems such as vomiting, diarrhea or constipation should be addressed by a healthcare provider.

• Feeding Difficulties: If your baby encounters difficulties while feeding, experiences pain during meals or refuses to eat these are warning signs that require attention.

• Unusual Behaviors: Unusual behaviours, irritability or extreme fussiness during or after feeding might warrant evaluation by a healthcare expert.

• Developmental Delays: If your baby isn't meeting milestones or displays signs of delays, in development it is recommended to consult with your pediatrician.

• Dealing with Allergies: It's important to seek attention if your baby displays severe allergic reactions after consuming a specific food.

• Respiratory Problems: Difficulties in breathing, wheezing or persistent coughing could be linked to food allergies. This should be brought up with a healthcare professional.

• Recognizing Signs of Infection: A high fever, infections or any other worrisome symptoms warrant medical care.

• Seeking Advice from a Pediatrician: Your pediatrician is the person to approach for any concerns regarding your baby's growth or well-being. Regular checkups provide an opportunity to discuss your baby's development.

Take-Home Points

• Keep track of your baby's growth, with baby weight charts to catch any concerns.

• Ensure your little one gets a rounded diet by including proteins, healthy fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals for weight gain.

• Opt for high-calorie foods that are easy on your baby's delicate tummy, like avocados, yogurt and nut kinds of butter.

• Introduce foods gradually. Keep an eye on how your baby reacts to ensure they tolerate them well.

• Regularly consult with a pediatrician to make sure that your baby's diet aligns with their growth and requirements.

• Keep an eye out for milestones in your baby's growth journey; should you notice any delays or concerns consult with your healthcare provider.