Your Guide to Baby's Weight Gain

1 Month Old

From now until Baby is 6 months old, she will likely grow an inch a month and gain 5-7 ounces a week. If feeding is successful, your baby will be steadily gaining weight.

Baby Should Eat: Breast milk or formula. Feeding times aren't exact, and it's impossible to determine how much milk babies have at each feeding for nursing mothers. Babies at this age should be fed eight to 12 times a day or about every two to three hours.

What do you think of this story? Give your opinion!

2 Months Old

Baby should be steadily gaining weight each week. If you're afraid he's hit a plateau, look closer at the amount of breast milk he is taking at feeding times by pumping and giving him bottles. In some cases, babies may not be suckling correctly, or you may not be giving enough milk, according to Michelle LaRowe, a professional nanny and author of Nanny to the Rescue. If you continue to have problems meet with a lactation consultant or your pediatrician to find out how to help make sure baby is eating.

Baby Should Eat: Breast milk or formula. Don't begin to introduce single grain food or baby food until he is at least 4 months old. Doing so too soon can cause digestive problems for your child, says Dr. Joanna Dolgoff, a childhood obesity specialist.

What do you think of this story? Give your opinion!

3 months old

At this stage, your baby will start to move away from a steady gain of about 6 ounces per week to a little less than 4 ounces. This means that she will gain roughly 2 pounds this month, and every month following until seven months old.

Baby Should Eat: Breast milk or formula. This is likely the last month that your baby will use your breast milk or formula as a primary source of food as the American Adademy of Pediatrics recommends introducing solids (like baby cereal) around 4 to 6 months.

What do you think of this story? Give your opinion!

4 months old

Around 4 months your baby will start showing signs that he is ready for solids. Some indicators are: he can hold his head up stead, he can sit while supported, and he'll start showing an interest in what you are eating. The transition from liquid to solids is a delicate one, so don't force Baby to eat if he isn't ready.

Don't confuse spitting with Baby's distaste for cereal, though. Baby's spitting will reach its peak at 4 months, and end by 7 months.

Baby Should Eat: Breast milk or formula, plus fruit and then veggies. Babies who enjoy fruit typically don't have an aversion to veggies. Also start introducing different kinds of baby food, including single grain foods. Be prepared for teething to follow these newer, thicker foods; A baby should begin teething by 6 months. The two bottom front teeth, followed by his two top front teeth, appear first, giving Baby that adorable grin

What do you think of this story? Give your opinion!

5 Months Old

By 5 to 6 months of age, Baby should double her newborn weight. Your baby should have a check-up around this age, so ask your doctor if Baby is at risk for being underweight and find out what you can to help her gain weight.

Baby Should Eat: Breast milk or formula, plus fruit and then veggies (only introduce fruit and veggies now, though, if she's happily eating baby cereal). Babies who enjoy fruit don't typically have an aversion to veggies, so if you give baby banana slices, she might not turn her nose at cooked carrots.

What do you think of this story? Give your opinion!

6 Months Old

Starting at six months, a baby will grow about half an inch a month and gain 3-5 ounces a week.

Baby Should Eat: Vegetables, fruits, then add pureed meat. Diarrhea or rashes are indicators of food sensitivity. (Note that a baby often needs exposure to a food up to seven times before she will acquire a taste for it.) You will still want to give him breast milk and/or formula.

What do you think of this story? Give your opinion!

7 Months Old

Baby's weight will steadily increase by 2 pounds a month. Consult your doctor if Baby doesn't gain at least 2-3 pounds this month or in later months. If he gains more than 6 pounds in a month, see your pediatrician, says Dr. Dolgoff.

Baby Should Eat: Adding to their menu of breast milk and formula try blended meat, vegetables, and fruits. Baby should now be able to handle a thicker consistency of foods, so leave some small dices in the fruits and vegetables for him to chomp on.

What do you think of this story? Give your opinion!

8 Months Old

Baby should be gaining additional weight to triple his birth weight by age 1.

Baby Should Eat: Breast milk or formula along with branching into some finger foods. If he appears to be having trouble, though, stick to blending veggies and fruits with a little cut-up meat.

• See Baby's First Finger Foods

What do you think of this story? Give your opinion!

9 Months Old

To maintain weight gain, feed your child a light snack such as scrambled eggs, cut-up steamed veggies, or small pieces of bread every two to four hours. Babies who snack more tend to have a better nutrient intake and healthier weight than babies who don't.

Baby Should Eat: She should be eating baby cereal, diced fruit such as kiwi or bananas, along with softened (or pureed) veggies and meat.

• Check out these great baby food recipes.

What do you think of this story? Give your opinion!

10 Months Old

As your baby becomes mobile, his weight might plateau, Dr. Dolgoff says. Baby likely will be crawling all over your kitchen floor and trying to stand up with the aid of tables, chairs, or your leg. Crawling burns a lot of calories, so don't expect him to gain more than a pound or two this month because he is starting to plateau.

Baby Should Eat: Finger foods he's already comfortable with. Also try to introduce green vegetables, tougher fruits such as apples cut small dices and small noodles, Dr. Dolgoff says.Your baby is still drinking breast milk or formula at this stage.

What do you think of this story? Give your opinion!

11-12 Months Old

Baby soon will take her first steps. These two months hold the biggest rewards for all your hard work. Your baby's nighttime feedings will not fully disappear, but they will lessen. By your baby's first birthday, he will likely have tripled his birth weight

What do you think of this story? Give your opinion!