Babies typically lose weight after birth, before they start to gain. Ideally, your baby should lose no more than 7 percent of his birth weight during the first five days, and he should be back to his birth weight by day 10. After the first five days, your baby should gain about 4–8 ounces each week or 1/2–1 ounce each day.

Some babies lose as little as 3 percent or as much as 10 percent, depending on the circumstances surrounding their birth. And some babies actually gain weight from birth, suggesting that weight loss may be an unintended outcome—the consequence of maternity care practices that interfere with breastfeeding.

If your baby loses more than 7 percent of her birth weight or gains weight slowly in the early days and weeks following her birth, your baby’s health care provider may ask you to bring your baby in for weight checks. A review of your breastfeeding routine along with periodic weight checks will ensure that your baby is getting enough to eat and that there are no underlying health issues. (Watch our video “How Can I Tell My Baby Is Getting Enough To Eat?”)

Parents of very slow gaining babies are sometimes asked to weigh their baby on an infant scale before and after a feeding to determine the exact amount of breast milk taken at each feeding. Another option would be to count your baby’s wet and poopy diapers. Output is usually a good measure of intake. Look for three or more poopy diapers a day by day three and six or more wet diapers a day by day five. Your baby’s urine should be clear or pale yellow in color indicating good hydration. As babies grow, their stool patterns change. After 4 weeks of age, some babies continue to poop after every feeding, while others poop only once every other day, or once every 3–5 days!

Many babies double their birth weight by 4 to 6 months of age and triple their birth weight by their first birthday, but this is not true of all babies. Babies who gain more slowly or more quickly may be perfectly healthy too. Your doctor will monitor your baby’s growth over time (her weight, length, and head circumference) to ensure that your baby is getting all of the calories and nutrients she needs.

Click here to learn more about your baby’s growth.