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The Care of Babies: Loss

Loss of weight is a danger signal which must not be ignored. If your baby does not gain weight every week consult your doctor and be guided by his advice. In doubtful cases the weighing should be daily or every other day. Use suitable baby scales and record the weight for continuous reference. The weighing of children often brings surprises. Loss of weight indicates that the milk is insufficient in quantity or in nutritive value, or there are faults of digestion and assimilation. Weighing of breast-fed baby just before and then just after nursing will show the quantity of breast milk obtained. a The growth of the child in length (or height) is another important aid in proper feeding and care of infants. A normal increase of weight does not prove a normal development. An unsuitable food, such as condensed milk, may increase the weight rapidly enough, or even fatten the baby too much, yet the development may be faulty and the degree of resistance against disease low.

Hence both weight and height should be taken into consideration.

LENGTH AND WEIGHT OF A NORMAL BABY Age Length Weight At birth. 19.5 in..... 7 lbs. 1 Mo. 20.5 in.... 7 lbs. 2 Mo. 21. in..... 9 lbs. 3 Mo. 22. in... 11 lbs. 4 Mo. 23. in. 12 lbs. 5 Mo. 23.5 in. 14 lbs. 6 Mo. 24. in. 15 lbs. 7 Mo 24.5 in... 16 lbs. 8 Mo. 9 Mo. 10 Mo. 11 Mo. 12 Mo. 25. in..... 17 lbs. 25.5 in.... 18 lbs. 26. in..... 19 lbs. 26.5 in..... 20 lbs. 27. in..... 21 lbs.

The character of the stools is a most important guide in infant feeding. Foul smelling, frothy or greenish passages indicate illness and may be the forerunner of fatal sickness.