Patient's question:
Doctor, my baby is now six months old. When she was five months, she was gaining weight but not height, and her little belly was much bigger than before. She is eating normally and not overeating. What could be the reason for this? Thank you...Doctor's answer:
The first six months of a baby's life are a period of rapid weight gain. Generally, by the sixth month, the baby starts to grow bones, so it's normal for your baby to gain weight without significant height increase at five months. It's not a concern if the height gain is slow for a short period, as children's growth and development vary each month—sometimes they grow quickly, and sometimes slowly. As long as it falls within the normal range, there's nothing to worry about. It's recommended to give your baby one drop of fish oil daily to aid calcium absorption, and you can also feed them iron-fortified rice cereal to help absorb iron.