People have asked about newborn weight gain in the past, and I've said multiple times that I want to keep track of a kids' weights at some point, but I never got around to it ... until now! Actually my husband deserves the credit, and this is due to the fact that we have quintuplets this year! So, these are the weight gains for one week in pounds and ounces. The first number is the birth weight, second number is weight at one week, and the number in parentheses is the weight gained. This also includes a bottle baby that couldn't maintain his body temperature outside.
2#2, 3#7 (1#5 ounces gained in one week)
3#4, 5#2 (1#14)
2#2, 3#6 (1#4)
2#14, 4#5 (1#7)
2#4, 2#12 (0#8)*
2#12, 4#0 (1#4)^
* This kid is definitely not getting enough. We're trying to supplement her, but she doesn't want the bottle. Unfortunately, being the smallest means she is also the weakest when it comes to fighting for those two teats.
^ This kid has been bottlefed from the second day. When we checked on them, we repeatedly saw her not even trying to get to the teats. She would just be standing off by herself with her head hanging down looking like Eeyore (the donkey in Winnie the Pooh).
Based on which of these kids appear to be healthy and getting enough milk, I'd say that a weight increase of about 50% of birth weight is a great goal in the first week. So, if a kid is born at 2#, it should weight 3# by one week of age.
Replies
First, congratulations on babies!!!
About editing, my experience is that we, as members, can edit our post for up to 15 minutes after originally posting it. However, it cannot be changed after that initial editing period.
There's a way to edit the original discussion, but not the posts that follow, as far as I can see. I have been known to be wrong though. ;)
Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:
I was going to edit it for you, but then I saw there was a 2# 7 ounce kid, so I wasn't sure if you'd already done it. Do you not see an "edit" button at the bottom of your post? I know I see them on all posts because I'm an admin, but they should give you the ability to edit your own post.
Oops! I made a mistake. Where it says 2# 8.7oz. it should say 2# 7oz. And I tried to be so careful! :)
Ginger's daughter, Johannah, kidded with triplets on Aprol 16. Tonight they were exactly a week old when we weighed them.
Birth one week total gain of
2# 8.7oz. 3# 14.6oz. 1# 7.6oz.
1# 14oz. 3# 2.25oz. 1# 4.25oz.
1# 14.3oz. 3# 8.25oz. 1# 9.95oz.
I thought I'd add another example since I've had to keep careful track of a couple sets of kids. This doe's daughter, a first freshener who is going to be 2 in July, kidded on April 16. I will add her triplets week one weight gain here as well, once they hit a week old. It does seem that gaining half of their birth weight by a week is a good, healthy amount.
Ginger, July 25, 2015, triplets
1) doe 2# 7oz. (3# 13oz. at 1 week)
2) buck 4# 2oz. (6# 6oz.)
3) doe 2# 7oz. (4# 4.5oz.)
Sandra Hess said:
Thanks for this posting Deborah. I have always been going to weight but didn't. I just go by look and feel. Think I will try the first birthing and get actual numbers.
Firstfreshner Good attentive mothering Doe
Quadruplets: 1. Doe birth wt.= 4#1 oz day 3 4# 9 oz = 8 oz. gain
2. Doe birth wt= 3# 11 1/2 oz day 2 wt= 4# 1 oz. day 3 4# 8 1/2 oz = 13 oz gain
3. Buck birth wt=3# 10 1/2 oz day 2 wt= 3# 14 1/2 oz day 3 3# 15 oz. = 4 oz. gain
4. Doe* birth wt= 3#13 oz. day 3 4# 4 oz. = 6 oz. gain day 4=4#1 oz
see #4. Doe? She may have cranial nerve damage? she latches poor/suckles with her tongue 3/4 hanging out the left side of her mouth. I have been placing her dam in milk stand and seeing that doeling gets a pick up of time. dam is not enjoying the poor latch, and very likely the doeling's latch is poor enough to be less efficient for good feeding.
San Hess
Heartland Midwifery
www.heartland-midwifery.com
When I had a tiny one (1 lb 10 oz), I supplemented her though left her with mom and weighed all three babies twice a day. I went by the guideline if they were all gaining relationally, all was fine. Must have worked because last I heard she was almost as big as her sister who was twice as big at birth. (I kept her other sister who is due to kid mid-April.)
What I found interesting and quite touching was that I would observe all three babies asleep and mom would go over and wake her up and get her to nurse. It was like she knew the bigger ones pushed her away every time she went to eat. Somehow she knew that Tiny Baby needed extra care. I swear that goat moms are the best moms around!
Weighing them at least every day, or better if possible twice a day, does give us peace of mind that all is going well.
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