My Baby's Weight Has Plateaued
The short answer
Brief weight plateaus can occur during illness, teething, or when babies become more active. However, a weight plateau lasting more than 2-4 weeks in a young baby, or significant stalling in an older baby, should be evaluated. Your pediatrician can determine whether the plateau is temporary or needs intervention.
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By Age
What to expect by age
Babies should gain about 5-7 ounces per week in the first months. A weight plateau lasting more than 1-2 weeks at this age is concerning and should be evaluated immediately. Ensure adequate feeding frequency and effective milk transfer if breastfeeding.
Weight gain naturally slows but should continue. A plateau lasting 2-3 weeks warrants evaluation. If your baby is ill, teething, or going through a developmental leap, a brief slowdown may be temporary.
As babies become more active and start solids, weight gain slows further. Brief plateaus during illness or diet transitions are common. If weight does not resume an upward trend within 2-4 weeks, discuss with your pediatrician.
Toddler weight gain is much slower than infant weight gain. Brief plateaus are more common and less concerning if your child is active and eating. Ensure a balanced diet with adequate calories and fats.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- A brief plateau during illness that resolves in 1-2 weeks.
- Your baby recently became more active (crawling, walking).
- Your toddler is going through a period of picky eating.
- Weight resumes its upward trend after the plateau.
- Weight plateau lasts more than 2-4 weeks in a baby under 6 months.
- Your baby seems hungry but is not gaining weight.
- Weight plateau is accompanied by decreased energy or feeding refusal.
- Your baby is losing weight.
- Your baby is lethargic, dehydrated, or refusing all feeds.
Sources
Related Resources
Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, reach out to your pediatrician.
Worrying about your baby means you care. That is a good thing.
Related Physical Concerns
My Baby Is Falling Off the Growth Curve
While babies do not need to stay at the exact same percentile, dropping across two or more major percentile lines on the growth chart warrants evaluation. Common causes include inadequate caloric intake, increased energy needs, or malabsorption. Your pediatrician tracks growth at every well visit and will flag concerning changes.
My Baby Seems to Use One Side More Than the Other
Babies should use both sides of their body fairly equally during the first 18 months of life. While slight preferences can be normal, a consistent pattern of favoring one side - using one arm much more than the other, crawling with one leg dragging, or turning the head predominantly one way - should always be discussed with your pediatrician. Early identification of asymmetry leads to the best outcomes.
My Baby Only Army Crawls
Army crawling (also called commando crawling) is a completely valid and normal way for babies to move. Many babies army crawl for weeks or even months before transitioning to hands-and-knees crawling, and some skip hands-and-knees crawling entirely. What matters is that your baby is independently mobile and exploring their environment.
One Side of My Baby's Body Moves Differently
Babies should generally use both sides of their body equally. If one side consistently moves differently, is weaker, stiffer, or less coordinated, this warrants evaluation. Asymmetric movement can indicate hemiplegia (cerebral palsy affecting one side), brachial plexus injury, or other neurological conditions that benefit from early therapy.
My Baby Crawls Unevenly
While some variation in crawling patterns is normal, consistently favoring one side or dragging one limb while crawling warrants attention. Babies should use both arms and both legs relatively equally when crawling. Persistent asymmetry could indicate muscle tone differences, hip issues, or neurological concerns that benefit from early evaluation.
My Baby Still Has the Fencing Reflex (Persistent ATNR)
The asymmetric tonic neck reflex (ATNR, also called the fencing reflex) causes your baby to extend the arm on the side they are looking toward. It should integrate between 4-6 months. If the ATNR persists strongly beyond 6 months, it can interfere with bringing hands to midline, bilateral hand use, and rolling. Evaluation is recommended.