The increase in weight and height is a good indicator of the baby’s normal development, especially in the first two years of life, when the rhythm of growth is quite accelerated. Then the growth rate approaches that of an adult. The rhythm of growth depends on hereditary, hormonal and environmental factors.
Each child has his own rhythm of growth and genetic development. One develops faster, another slower. You do not have to worry about them being unhealthy. There is no ideal weight and height. It is important that the development is continuous. And only the pediatrician can confirm whether the growth process falls within normal parameters.
At the age of 3, the pace of development is diminishing compared to previous years. Body parts have unequal growth rates, and the overall appearance of the body changes. The members grow faster than the trunk to puberty, after which the growth rate is reversed. During this time, the baby weight increases with about 2 kg per year and the height rise is about 3-4 cm each year.
Should You Get Worried if The Child Does Not Gain Weight?
A child that does not accumulate weight could experience a difficulty or even a medical affliction.
However, you should note that there are periods in the life of a child in which the weight stagnates or it is influenced by certain events in his life. When they are sick, for example, some children lose weight and then immediately recover the lost pounds. Some stressful events in his life or even a poor diet, lacking essential nutrients can also influence the weight gain.
If your baby has not lost weight but weighs much less than other children of his age, it may be just a lower growth capacity than normal, but still normal.
Anyway, the babies have to gain weight, not to lose weight at all. Any weight loss (without a plausible explanation) should be reported to the pediatrician.
Pediatrician’s Take on A Toddler That Does Not Gain Weight
There is a multitude of inborn or acquired health problems along the way, due to which a child can stagnate or even lose weight, whether the appetite is altered or not. Depending on the age at which the signals occur, we may discover 
digestive, renal, cardiac, hematological or endocrine disorders. Practically, localized suffering at any organ, apparatus, or system in the body can result in an unsatisfactory weight curve.
The Visit to the Pediatrician
The family doctor or pediatrician will first perform a physical examination of the child and address a series of questions to try to determine the nature of the problem. For this reason, it is good to note, in advance, the details of the situation that worries you, as well as the possible issues that you want to clarify. If the baby reaches the development thresholds in time, interacting with the parents and showing a happy and healthy state, there is usually no cause for concern.
The anamnesis will be complemented by a thorough clinical examination as well as laboratory, radiological or imaging investigations.
The weighty curve is a very important indication of health, especially for children whose bodies that are in a permanent growth and development process.
When parents deal with stagnation or even weight loss, they should request a consultation with the family doctor or pediatrician. Especially when the unsatisfactory weight curve is accompanied by a decrease in appetite, there is a tendency to give the child various vitamin supplements with the role of increasing the appetite and boost the nutrient intake, thus the visit to the physician and implicitly a timely diagnosis can prove very effective and helpful.
How Can You Help The Toddler Gain Weight?
Today’s world focus is rather on helping children to maintain or lose weight since the world’s tendency is to become overweight. That does not mean some people are not interested in gaining weight. Before choosing either direction, it is essential to follow a pediatrician’s advice and act under the supervision of a professional, particularly when there are toddlers and children involved. Another key factor is to stay balanced and avoid unnecessary excesses.
As a parent, or as the caregiver of a child, you can do many things to help your child reach a healthy weight and maintain it. Exercising and eating healthy foods and drinks are important for the health of children.
You can play an important role in helping your child form healthy eating and drinking habits, enjoy physical activity and sleep. For example, teach your child to balance the amount of food and drinks they consume and how much exercise they do each day. Take your child to market and let him choose healthy foods and drinks. Let them help you plan and prepare healthy meals and snacks.
Many moms and dads do not know what to do to help their toddlers gain weight and believe that the best option is to increase the doses of the vitamins or the amount of food. But this may not be the right solution at times. Ideally, you should check with your pediatrician on the best methods to help the baby gain weight and get familiarized the most recommended calorie foods for babies to get their weight back to normal levels.
Healthy Foods That Help A Toddler Gain Weight
Help your children grow up healthy and strong! Here are some ideal foods for your children to gain weight in a healthy way.
Foods high in calories and nutrients are also high in fat, but the important thing is to choose the right type of fat.
Nuts, peanuts, seeds, peanut butter, almonds, avocados, hummus and oils are great sources of healthy vegetable fats full of nutrients and calories.
Animal fats provide nutrients and the same amount of calories as vegetable fats, but they also contain saturated fats that can raise bad cholesterol.
The goal is to choose foods that contain vitamins, minerals, nutrients and calories so that each bite is loaded with good nutrition.
It is also very important to follow the rules of food diversification and observe carefully how each new food is tolerated!
All sorts of nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds contain many calories, but also polyunsaturated fat. Brazil nuts, almonds, peanuts, pecan nuts, sunflower seeds, linen, and pumpkin have different flavors, are delicious and are very healthy. A snack idea that will give the body a lot of energy would be a few nuts and seeds mixed with a few slices of apple, over which you can spread a little peanut butter.
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
You simply cannot go wrong with fresh fruits and veggies. Eat them as snacks, combine them in salads or mix them in delicious smoothies to make sure your little one enjoys all the nutrients and vitamins encapsulated in these wonders. Avocado and bananas should be on top of the grocery list.
Whole Dairy Products
As whole milk has more fat and calories than reduced fat milk, whole dairy products also contain beneficial fats and nutritious calories for a baby who needs to gain weight. Choose a brand of yogurt that is made with whole milk. Many supermarkets have baby yogurts that contain more fats and calories but less sugar. Whole cheese or cottage cheese are other additional foods you can give your toddler to increase their caloric intake.
Pasta
Pasta is a delicious food and little children love it. It is easy to prepare and a highly energetic product. For those who want to gain weight, it is recommended to enjoy it with a sauce or cheeses.
Meat
Once the baby has accepted without any problem the cereals and then the vegetables and fruits, will proceed to introduce the meats into the baby’s diet. Its incorporation should be smooth, gradual and the parents should observe carefully how it is tolerated.
From the nutritional point of view, meats have very healthy properties to favor the growth of the child. They provide proteins, essential for growth, defenses and regeneration of tissues, vitamin B12 for the formation of red blood cells and the nervous system, and minerals such as zinc and iron, essential to combat anemia.
Healthy Smoothies for Toddlers to Gain Weight
Since the specific of our website revolves around healthy living and smoothies that can help us integrate more fruits and veggies in our lifestyle, we have come up with some smoothie recipes capable of helping toddlers gain weight.
Bircher muesli smoothie
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oatmeal
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp ground almonds
- 1 small banana
- 1 small apple
- 200 ml of water
Preparation
Soak the almonds and the chia seeds in water for 10-15 minutes. Wash the apple, remove the seeds and dice it. Peel the banana. Mix all ingredients together in a smoothie blender. Enjoy!
Red Cashew Smoothie
Ingredients
- 100 g raspberries (frozen or fresh)
- 2 tbsp elderberry
- 1/2 banana
- 100 ml water or cashew milk
- 6 cashew kernels
Preparation
Soak the cashew kernels in water or milk for about 10 minutes so they are easier to mix. Mix the fruits, the water/cashew milk and cashews until smooth.
Purple-Green Power Smoothie
Ingredients
- 100 gr blueberries (frozen or fresh)
- 1 ripe kiwi
- 1/2 banana
- 150 ml of water
Preparation
Peel and roughly dice the kiwi and banana. Mix all ingredients into a delicious smoothie.
Princess smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 banana
- 50 gr raspberries
- 250 gr natural yogurt
- 2 tbsp fine oatmeal
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
Preparation:
Cut the banana into rough pieces. Purée the banana pieces and raspberries together with the oatmeal and the yogurt. At the end, season with lemon juice and maple syrup.
Fairy Vitamin Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1/2 melon
- 3 medium carrots
- 1 apple
- 1/2 teaspoon linseed oil
- Optional: freshly squeezed lemon juice
Preparation
Carefully wash and clean the apple and carrots, remove the apple’s seeds. Extract the pulp from the melon. Stir the carrots and the apple together, then add the melon. At the end add half a teaspoon of linseed oil and, if you prefer, lemon juice. It is best to enjoy it immediately to get the most out of the vitamins included.
Mango Smoothie Delight
Ingredients for 2 children
- 1 half ripe, low-fiber mango
- 250 ml almond or rice milk
- 1-2 teaspoons of lime juice
- a little honey for sweetening
Preparation
Peel the mango and cut it into coarse pieces. Add the mango and the almond or rice milk in the blender and mix until smooth. Season with lime juice and add honey to appease the sweet tooth. Pay attention that the rice drink, naturally, contains enough sugar and tastes pleasantly sweet so you can skip the honey.
Orange Apricot Miracle
Ingredients for 2 children
- 1 small carrot
- 2-3 ripe apricots
- 1 tangerine
- ½ teaspoon wheatgrass oil
- 200 ml white grape juice (100% juice)
Preparation: Wash and peel the carrot. Peel the tangerine divide it in slices. Wash and cut the apricots into pieces. Mix all the ingredients in the blender until smooth. Extra tip: Instead of fresh apricots, the smoothie can also be prepared with dried, unsweetened apricots.
