Baby Weight Gain Foods & Growth Tips Every Parent Should Know
By Dr. Malavika Athavale +2 more
Medically reviewed by Dr. Malavika Athavale
Last updated: Oct 3, 2025 Published on: Oct 3, 2025
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By Dr. Malavika Athavale +2 more
Table of Contents
In an analysis of surveys published in 2025 across seven regions (West and Central Africa, Eastern and Southern Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, East Asia and the Pacific, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and South Asia), data from 80,614 infants under 6 months showed that, 17.4% were underweight, 15.5% wasted (low weight-for-height), 19.9% stunted, and 15.0% had low birth weight1. This highlights the critical state of growth challenges faced in early childhood worldwide.
The first years of life are the most crucial for a child’s growth and development. During this stage, parents need to practise responsive feeding (for newborns) and provide the right nutrition for proper physical growth of the child2. In order to help you with this, we will explore some baby weight gain foods and practical growth tips to support your little one’s healthy development in this guide.
Healthy weight gain is an important part of your baby’s growth and development. Good nutrition, enough sleep, active play, and a calm environment all support steady growth. In babies, slow or inadequate weight gain may be due to several factors. Therefore, if you are wondering “why is my baby not gaining weight,” it is important to understand that causes can vary from medical conditions and nutritional deficiencies to feeding difficulties and environmental factors3.
If babies do not gain weight as expected, they may face delays in growth and health challenges compared to those who grow at a healthy rate4. Moreover, poor growth in the first years of life can affect not only a child’s physical health but also brain development, learning, and emotional well-being3. This is why healthy weight gain is important, as it not only supports the development of strong bones, muscles, and other vital organs, but also impacts the cognitive abilities.
While finding and managing the underlying cause of inadequate weight gain is important, providing a nutrient-rich diet to your little one can help support their healthy growth and development3.
While every child grows at their own pace, having an idea of the average height and weight for each age can help parents understand whether their baby’s growth is on the right track.
The table below will help you get a brief idea of your child’s weight and growth5:
| Age (Months) | Boys Height (cm) | Boys Weight (kg) | Girls Height (cm) | Girls Weight (kg) |
| 0 | 50.5 | 3.3 | 49.9 | 3.2 |
| 3 | 61.1 | 6.0 | 60.2 | 5.4 |
| 6 | 67.8 | 7.8 | 66.6 | 7.2 |
| 9 | 72.3 | 9.2 | 71.1 | 8.6 |
| 12 | 76.1 | 10.2 | 75.0 | 9.5 |
| 24 | 84.5 | 12.3 | 85.6 | 11.8 |
Note: These are average values, not exact targets. Some children may grow a little faster or slower than others, and that can still be perfectly normal. What matters most is that your child is steadily growing along their own growth curve. In case of any concerns, always consult your paediatrician about your child’s growth or nutrition.
Most babies grow steadily, but watch for these signs that may mean your baby needs extra support in gaining weight3:
Babies who struggle with weight gain often need foods that are rich in both calories and protein to support healthy growth. Therefore, offering energy-dense and nutrient-rich options makes every bite count. Some of the best food choices that provide building blocks for strong bones, muscles, and brain development include6,7:
Always make sure to offer a variety of foods that provide energy, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals to support steady growth and overall development.
Always remember that every baby is different. Therefore, adjust food textures based on chewing skills and always introduce new foods gradually.
If you are wondering how to increase baby weight, here is a list of foods that can help support healthy growth across different age groups8.
| Age | Foods/Textures | Examples | For Weight Gain |
| 0 to 6 months | Exclusive milk feeding | Breast milk (preferred) or infant formula | Provides complete nutrition (feed on demand) |
| 17 weeks to 6 months (only if advised by doctor/dietitian) | Thin to thicker purees | Baby rice, baby cereals, pureed fruits (banana, avocado, peach, mango, plum), pureed vegetables (potato, sweet potato, parsnip, carrot, swede, broccoli) | Use expressed breast milk/formula instead of water when preparing purees |
| 6 to 8 months | Mashed foods, thicker textures | Protein: chicken, fish, beans, lentils, soft cheese Starches: mashed potato, rice, pasta, chapatti, couscous Vegetables: soft-cooked, mashed | Add cream, butter, margarine, or oil to vegetables/purees Add grated cheese to pasta/beans Offer one milky pudding daily (custard, rice pudding, full-fat yoghurt) |
| 8 to 12 months | Mashed foods and finger foods | Finger foods: fish fingers, chicken nuggets, sausages (low salt), omelette, eggy bread, cheese slices, sandwiches with butter/cheese/nut butter, pizza fingers, avocado slices, sweet potato wedges | Encourage self-feeding Maintain ~600 mL (20 fl oz) breast milk/formula daily Occasional snacks (buttered toast, rusks with milk, biscuits, crackers, pastries, ice cream in moderation) |
Here are some quick and simple baby-friendly recipes that are filled with nutrients:
To support your baby’s growth, it is important to learn how to increase infant’s weight. Here are some practical tips that might help you:
You should consult a doctor in the following cases3:
Remember, early recognition and support can make a big difference in helping your baby grow healthy and strong.
Observing and supporting healthy weight gain in babies is crucial for their growth, brain development, and long-term health.
Parents can achieve this by offering nutrient-rich foods, following age-appropriate feeding charts, using simple high-calorie and high-protein recipes, and applying practical feeding strategies. In addition to this, regular monitoring and guidance from doctors ensures that your baby grows strong, healthy, and happy.
It is a term used when a baby’s growth is much slower than expected. This might often be due to health, nutrition, or feeding problems3.
From 6 months, start with 2 to 3 spoonfuls a few times a day. Then you may gradually increase the amount and variety as your baby grows, while continuing breastfeeding (as long as you wish)8.
If your baby is active, alert, and meeting milestones, it may just be their growth pattern. However, regular check-ups are still important if you are concerned.
Yes, babies may naturally be smaller or bigger depending on family traits, but they should still follow a healthy growth curve11.
From birth to 3 years, weigh your baby every month, and from birth to 2 years, measure their length every 3 months. This will help you track healthy growth12.
In the first 3 months, babies gain about 500 g per month. By 5 months, their weight is usually double the birth weight, and by 1 year, it becomes triple. On average, babies gain about 7 kg in the first year, and by the end of the second year, their weight is around four times their birth weight12
At birth, babies are about 50 cm long. They usually grow 25 cm in the first year and another 12 cm in the second year, reaching around 75 cm by 1 year and 87 cm by 2 years. After that, growth slows to about 6 to 7 cm each year12.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
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