The Overweight Baby

A baby is considered overweight if the birth weight after 9th months of pregnancy is more than 4.0kg.

About 5 to 10 percent of babies are overweight by term.




What are the common reasons for the baby to be overweight?

The birth weight of the baby is genetically determined. If both parents are big size, most probably the baby is big size as well.

The mother who has delivered a big baby before has higher tendency to pregnant another big baby.

Other reasons that may cause the baby to be overweight:

1) The mother has diabetes mellitus during pregnancy
2) The mother has excessive weight gain during pregnancy
3) Pregnancy is overdue.
4) A baby boy is generally bigger than a baby girl.





What are the problems associated with the overweight baby?

For those mothers who keen to try normal delivery, the labour process maybe more complicated and prolonged.
It may lead to slow dilatation of the cervix, excessive perineal tear, excessive bleeding after the delivery and the chance for emergency caesarean delivery is higher.
Sometimes, the baby’s shoulder maybe impacted behind the pelvic bone. As a result, the baby shoulder was stuck and unable to deliver normally. Excessive use of force to dislodge the baby shoulder will lead to fracture collarbone and sometimes even the nerve injury.

The baby's left shoulder is stuck behind the pelvic bone

Excessive use of force to deliver the shoulder may lead to baby's bone fracture and nerve injury.

Left hand is paralysed due to birth injury.

How to prevent my baby from overweight?

You need to avoid excessive weight gain during pregnancy.
The doctor will monitor your urine and blood to make sure that you are not diabetic.
Ultrasound scan is useful to estimate the baby’s weight and detect early sign of big baby.
Sometimes, you are advised by the doctor to undergo caesarean delivery to prevent the complication of normal delivery if the baby is suspected to be overweight.