The underweight baby is the one born with less than 2.5 kg, which can be diagnosed as small for gestational age during pregnancy.
It can be identified that the baby is underweight through ultrasound examination, during pregnancy or shortly after birth. When the doctor identifies that the baby is underweight for her gestational age, she should indicate that the mother should rest and eat properly.
Causes of underweight baby
Usually, the causes of the baby being born underweight are related to placental insufficiency, which is the inadequate blood supply of the mother to the baby. Possible causes of placental insufficiency can be:
- Hypertension, Diabetes, Prolonged pregnancy, ie babies born more than 9 months of gestation, Due to smoking, Excessive alcohol consumption, or Pregnancy of more than 2 babies at the same time.
However, in some cases, the cause of the birth of the underweight baby is not identified.
Underweight baby, what to do:
What you should do with a baby that is born underweight is to dress him properly because these babies tend to feel very cold and ensure that he is fed properly so that he can put on healthy weight.
These babies may have greater difficulty in breastfeeding, but despite this, the mother should be encouraged to breastfeed several times a day, avoiding the use of artificial milk. However, when the baby is unable to gain enough weight just by breastfeeding, the pediatrician may suggest that after breastfeeding, the mother should give the baby a supplement of milk to ensure adequate intake of nutrients and calories.
Other low weight baby care
Other important cares for caring for a low-weight baby include:
- Keep the baby in a warm place: keep the room with a temperature between 28ºC and 30ºC and without drafts; Dress the baby according to the season: put one more piece of clothing on than the adult person, for example, if the mother has a blouse, she should wear two to the baby. Learn more at: How to tell if your baby is cold or hot. Measure the baby's temperature: it is recommended to evaluate the temperature every 2 hours with a thermometer, keeping it between 36.5ºC and 37.5ºC. See how to use the thermometer correctly at: How to use the thermometer. Avoid exposing the baby to polluted environments: the baby should not be in contact with smoke or many people due to the fragility of the respiratory system;
In addition to these precautions, it is important to know that the baby should only take the first vaccines, such as the BCG and Hepatitis B vaccine, when it weighs more than 2 kg and, therefore, it is common to have to do the vaccines at the health center.
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