Average Weight Gain for Breastfed Babies

Baby's Age	Average Weight Gain 1	Average Weight Gain 2,3
0-4 months	5.5 - 8.5 ounces per week	5 - 7 ounces per week †
4-6 months	3.25 - 4.5 ounces per week	4 - 5 ounces per week
6-12 months	1.75 - 2.75 ounces per week ‡	2 - 4 ounces per week
[click here to see tables in Metric Units] † It is acceptable for some babies to gain 4-5 ounces per week. ‡ The average breastfed baby doubles birth weight by 3-4 months. By one year, the typical breastfed baby will weigh about 2 1/2 - 3 times birth weight. 1 Sources: World Health Organization Child Growth Standards, 2006. Available at: http://www.who.int/childgrowth/en/. To figure average weight gain, we used the weight-per-age percentile charts for birth - 5 years. The range is a combination of boys and girls 5% to 95%, rounded to the nearest quarter-ounce. Click here for more details on calculations [PDF file]. Riordan J. Breastfeeding and Human Lactation, 3rd ed. Boston: Jones and Bartlett, 2005, p. 103, 512-513. Mohrbacher N and Stock J. The Breastfeeding Answer Book, Third Revised ed. Schaumburg, Illinois: La Leche League International, 2003, p. 148-149.

A few things to keep in mind when evaluating weight gain

A 5-7% weight loss during the first 3-4 days after birth is normal. A 10% weight loss is sometimes considered normal, but this amount of weight loss is a sign that the breastfeeding needs to be evaluated. It's a good idea to have a routine weight check at 5 days (baby should be gaining rather than losing weight by day 5), so that any developing problems can be caught and remedied early.

Baby should regain birth weight by 10 days to 2 weeks. If your baby lost a good bit of weight in the early days, or if your baby is sick or premature, it may take longer to regain birth weight. If baby does not regain birth weight by two weeks, this is a sign that the breastfeeding needs to be evaluated.

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