Some factors related to congenital heart defects that may interfere with your baby’s growth
include:
excessively rapid heart beat
increased respiratory (breathing) rate
poor appetite
greater caloric needs
decreased food intake due to rapid breathing and fatigue
frequent respiratory infections (bronchitis, pneumonia)
poor absorption of nutrients from the digestive tract
decreased oxygen in the blood (hypoxia)
A baby’s growth may also be influenced by hereditary or genetic conditions. Some conditions
such as Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) have different growth charts. The most common reason
for poor growth is that the baby isn’t taking in enough calories or nutrients. But even if your baby
seems to drink enough formula or breast milk, he or she may still gain weight very slowly due to
the increased caloric needs. You need not weigh your baby at home. Your baby’s pediatrician or
cardiologist will weigh your baby with each office visit. These weight measurements will show
how well your baby is growing.