Last updated on May 1st, 2022 at 11:38 am
Although weight gain in children is a primary concern for most mothers, it is essential to remember that your aim should be to ensure a balanced diet that gives your child all the nutrition that she needs, to grow and stay healthy. This will instinctively help the child attain a healthy weight. Give your child three healthy, balanced meals a day, and healthy snacks in between. A mixed diet also ensures that she gets sufficient nutrients, various vitamins, and all the minerals that are needed for the overall development of her brain and physique.
How to gain Weight in Children
If you’re concerned that your baby might weigh too little, Then mind that newborns normally lose 3–7% (and up to 10%) of their birth weight in their first few days of life, which they retrieve by about the end of their second week. Up to they reach the 6-month mark, infants should gain about 1 pound (0.45 kg) or more each month. They should weigh about triple their birth weight around the end of their first year. (Healthline)
Some kids just do not appear to gain weight, and there could be many grounds behind this. One reason is the genetic composition of the underweight child’s parents. If both parents are skinny, the baby may share a similar physical characteristics. Metabolism also plays a prime role in a child’s weight gain pattern. If your child is active and healthy, she/he will finally meet the weight milestone for her age. You can think about keeping a food diary for your child and make a note of likes, dislikes, and choices and prepare weekly menus to make mealtimes fun and tantrum-free.
Best Nutritious Foods for Weight Gain in Babies and Toddlers
While planning meals for babies and toddlers, parents will need to keep the nutritional necessity of the child in mind. Kids and babies must consume a well-balanced diet that will provide valuable and healthy calories. Parents are also required to make mealtimes amusing so that their child looks forward to them.
Some parents feed sugar-laden sweets to increase weight in babies, Although it is unhealthy and will eventually do your child more harm than good. There are many healthy options that you can turn to, to increase your child’s weight. Here we are sharing the best foods for weight gain in babies and toddlers that you should include in their diet.
- Breast Milk: Let’s start off with the easiest suggestion there is – feed your child breast milk! It is suggested that a baby is exclusively breastfed during the first 6 months after birth. This is the most nutritious, easily digestible, superbly balanced, and healthiest superfood that can build your child’s immunity for life. After 6 months of age, you can begin liquids and semi-solid foods to your baby’s diet along with breast milk.
- Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes are easy to cook and mash. They are nutritious, easy to digest, tasty, and healthy. Sweet potatoes are also rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, copper, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese – the best nutrients to help kids gain weight. Sweet potatoes are loaded with dietary fiber. You can make tasty purees from this.
- Bananas: This wonderful fruit is rich in potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and carbohydrates. It is also filled with calories, making it a great food for your baby to eat to gain weight. It can be a part of your baby bag while traveling and makes for a suitable snack.
- Ragi: This nutritious food is perfect to boost weight gain and the growth of the baby. This is rich in dietary fiber, calcium, iron, proteins, and various other vitamins and minerals. It is smoothly digestible and can be introduced to babies in the form of idli, dosa, porridge, or cereals. Toddlers can eat the same in the form of their favorite cakes, cookies, and puddings.
- Avocados: This is a rich source of Vitamin B6, E, C, K, folate, copper, dietary fiber, and pantothenic acid, and also have a high ratio of fat. You can give it to your child in the form of mashing it up making a dip or spreading it on a toast.
- Ghee: Ghee carries 72% saturated fats, is easy to digest for babies, contains healing properties, and also helps to build up the immunity of babies. Start it around the 8th month of your baby’s life. A few drops of ghee can be added to almost all foods like porridge or sprinkled on top of mashed khichadi.
- Eggs: Eggs are a very good source of proteins and also contain minerals Vitamins A and B12. They are rich in saturated fats. You can start giving the egg yolk to your baby after 8 months and the whole egg once the baby is 1 year old. Always start with a fully boiled egg, after that, you can give the egg like an omelet, salad, egg rice, or French toast being a few options.
- Dry Fruits: Walnuts, raisins, almonds, cashews, and pistachios are energy and nutrient-dense nuts and so, are a great choice for gaining weight. The best way to give dry fruits to children is to give them in the form of powdered. You can also give dry fruits to your child by adding powdered nuts to porridge.
- Pulses: Pulses are packed with nutrients. These are wealthy in proteins, magnesium, calcium, iron, fiber, and potassium. After six months of age, you can start dals in the form of soup or daal paani, which is one of the superb weight gain drinks for children.
- Chicken: It is a rich source of easily absorbable protein. Chicken is simply available and affordable, it helps your child build muscle mass and gain a healthy weight. Chicken can be introduced to the baby in the form of soup, puree, stock, and stew after 8 months of age.
