Understanding baby weight: healthy or overweight?

If you’re worried about your baby’s weight, talk with your baby’s healthcare professional. How your baby is growing and developing and what your baby weighs are common topics to discuss during well-baby exams.

Your baby’s healthcare professional keeps track of your baby’s growth during infancy on charts that show weight compared to length. Later, the measure changes to your child’s body mass index. Also called BMI, this measure gives an estimate of body fat based on height and weight.

You can use the charts to track how your child is growing. And you can compare your baby’s growth with that of other infants of the same sex and age. World Health Organization growth charts show that babies with a weight compared to length greater than the 98th percentile have a high weight for their length. This high weight might be called baby fat or infant obesity.

Remember, babies need a diet high in fat to keep growing and to develop their brains. Don’t cut calories to lower weight for children 2 years and younger.

Some babies eat quickly and don’t notice their hunger levels. So they can take in too many calories. That’s a concern. Babies who gain weight fast and get beyond the 98th percentile in infancy, sometimes called baby fat or infant obesity, may carry extra weight into adulthood.

To keep your baby at a healthy weight:

• Watch your weight gain during pregnancy. Keep track of your weight with your prenatal healthcare professional. Gaining too much weight during pregnancy can raise the risk of getting diabetes during pregnancy, called gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes may raise your baby’s birth weight and put your baby at risk of low blood sugar, also called hypoglycemia, after birth.
• Research suggests that a higher birth weight raises the risk of childhood obesity.
• Breastfeed if possible. Some research suggests that breastfeeding lowers the risk of childhood obesity.
• Limit sugary drinks. Babies don’t need juice. As you start giving your baby solid foods, offer whole fruits and vegetables instead.
• Make sure your baby gets enough sleep. Getting enough sleep can help your child be at a healthy weight.
• Use ways other than feeding to soothe your baby. Don’t always use breast milk or formula to quiet your baby’s cries. Sometimes a new position, a calmer place, a pacifier or a gentle touch is all your baby needs.
• Limit media use. The American Academy of Pediatrics says not to let children younger than age 2 use media. The more screen time children have, the greater their risk of becoming overweight.

Keep talking with your child’s healthcare professional about weight and food as your child grows. Talking to a registered dietitian also may help guide you.