My baby is 1 year old. Her weight is 7.2 Kg and her birth weight was 3.4 kg. She looks very tiny. At the onset of teething she started vomiting continuously, which led her to lose a lot of weight. She has now improved. What diet would you recommend so that she can put on weight? What is the ideal weight for her age?
Esther Kimani Staff
The expected requirement for a baby this age is that she should have tripled her birth weight by one year; the birth weight x3 should be her ideal weight now. Do continue to seek advice from an Infant nutritionist. Babies this age have a high energy needs and this must be reflected in her diet by adding Carbohydrates which is a major source of energy should account for 50% to 60% of calories consumed each day. Also add Fats e.g. butter, Cod liver oil as this is a concentrated form of energy. Ensure that she takes proteins everyday with fruits and vegetables as well. She should continue to take at least 500ml of dairy ( milk, yoghurt or cheese) daily
A nutritional assessment that looks at weight for height against the growth standard chart is required, especially if she has lost a lot of weight. You need to visit a nutritionist for a comprehensive assessment and diet plan. Children can lose weight very drastically within a very short time and therefore intervention needs to be prompt to correct that.
