How Can You Help Your Unborn Baby Grow Bigger, According To An Expert
Should you be worried that your baby is small for their gestational age?
Scenario: You're at your regular pregnancy checkup with your obstetrician and they remark that your baby is looking a little smaller than average at their gestational age. Or perhaps, you have other mummy friends and your bump is looking smaller than theirs. Should you worry if their smaller size could impact their growth and development? Below, we've got an expert to weigh in and share with us tips on how to help your unborn baby grow bigger, and when there is cause to worry.
Not all babies are born the same size. Some are naturally bigger; others smaller. This could be determined by genetic factors, says Dr Goh Shen Li, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist in S L Goh Women’s Clinic at Mount Alvernia Medical Centre D.
If your husband or you are petite, and your unborn baby is putting on weight consistently over the weeks, then that may be considered normal.
Other causes could be smoking or excessive alcohol intake, maternal infections, high blood pressure, pre-pregnancy diabetes or foetal anomalies.
Your doctor may want you to do a scan to determine if the umbilical cord is working well and if your baby is receiving adequate oxygen or nourishment.
Sleeping on your left does increase blood flow to your baby, so you should do that if the baby is small, Dr Goh adds.
In some cases though, it could mean there is intrauterine growth restriction in the baby. This occurs when they are not getting enough oxygen or nutrients, hence slowing down the growth velocity.
A common cause is a placental insufficiency when the placenta – which delivers oxygen and nutrients to the baby – is not working optimally.
If your baby is small due to poor maternal weight gain and not due to placental or umbilical cord problems, then increasing the number of calories you consume will help your baby gain weight.
Your diet should include protein-rich foods like eggs and meat, and you can also try increasing your carbohydrate intake. Eating durian can help, as it is a high-calorie fruit, Dr Goh suggests.
But check with your doctor first. Some high-calorie foods are not appropriate if you have gestational diabetes or other medical problems, such as kidney dysfunction.