Question

The nurse recognizes that during the first 5 months of life, an infant is expected to gain approximately how many pounds per month?

a. 0.5
b. 1
c. 1.5
d. 2

Answer 1

During the first 5 months of life, an infant is expected to gain approximately 1 pound per month, allowing them to double their birth weight by six months old.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse recognizes that during the first 5 months of life, an infant is expected to gain approximately 1 pound per month. After their initial weight loss right after birth, infants generally gain on average about 28 g (1 oz) per day for the first two months.

Weight gain then slows down a bit, with the typical infant gaining about 0.45 kg (1 lb) per month for the remainder of the first year. By following this pace of weight gain, an infant usually doubles its birth weight by six months old.