Your Baby's Growth
One of the signs of your baby's good health is his growth. Your
baby's height and weight changes are important indicators for
overall health. That's why when your baby's young, he's weighed
quite often. Poor growth can sometimes be one of the signs your
baby is ill, or that he isn't feeding well. Poor nourishment has
implications for future health. But a healthy weight gain is a good
sign - a baby who is growing well is probably healthy.
Later, because babies' and toddlers' growth tends to slow down,
frequent weighing isn't necessary. However, weight and height are
usually taken when you bring your child for his routine health
checks at your local Baby Health clinic or doctor.
There are huge variations in what is considered normal for the
weight and length of a newborn baby. Average weights are between
2.5-4.5 kilograms (5lb 8oz to 9lb 12oz), and average lengths vary
from 48-51 centimetres (19-20 inches) - and many healthy babies
weigh less, or more, than this without there being a problem.
Babies often lose weight in the first days after birth - around 10
per cent of the birthweight is considered okay. It's the result of
the perfectly normal loss of waste matter (meconium) from the
bowels, and urine. You can expect your baby to have regained his
birthweight by about day 10. Many healthy babies can take longer
than this.
Babies gain weight irregularly. This is especially the case with
breast-fed babies. Over time, the weight gain will probably average
out to something like 150g-200g a week, usually slowing after the
age of three months, and slowing again after six. Of course there
are times that your baby may have a rapid growth spurt and put on
more weight or grow more than usual.
Your Newborn Baby: Growth Issues
It's often in the early weeks and months that there's most concern
about your baby's weight. This is understandable. Poor growth can
be a sign of poor feeding; babies who grow slowly, or not at all,
may be ill. If your baby is not growing well:
- Have your feeding method checked. Breastfed babies need to be
well-positioned at the breast, to ensure they suckle effectively.
This means you make more milk for them, and they take more in. A
bottle fed baby may grow better if he's offered more and smaller
feeds.
- You may be asked other questions about your baby's behaviour
and development. A very sleepy baby who doesn't seem interested in
feeding may need to be woken more, and encouraged to feed.
- Consistent poor weight gain might mean your baby is referred
for a specialist assessment, to check there's no underlying illness
or condition.
Accurate weighing is essential. The best scales are electronic, and
should be regularly checked. If you can, have your baby weighed on
the same scales each time.
Some babies do take a while to start gaining weight - in the
majority of cases it's not a serious issue. But it shouldn't be
ignored.
Your Growing Baby: Growth Issues
In babies over about three months old, the rate at which they grow
often does slow down. It's also common for babies to slow down at
around five to six months, when they may start solids.
So, if you're concerned about your baby's weight gain, it can be
sensible to cut down on solid foods and increase the milk intake -
by offering breastfeeds more often, or by giving more
bottles.
Talk to your health professional and take advice from them about
whether you need to do anything differently.
Your Toddler: Growth Issues
Toddlers can develop food fads and fussiness - and as growth
naturally slows down in the second year, weight can sometimes
appear as if it's poor. How do you know when to worry?
Ask your doctor to take accurate weight and height measurements,
and compare them with previous figures. You may have these recorded
in your baby's personal health record book.
If the doctor thinks there's an issue you'll be asked:
- about your toddler's appetite. Is she eating well, with a good
selection of different foods?
- has she been ill recently? Growth can tend to slow before,
during and after an illness.
- what your family's general size is, as growth patterns tend to
run in families.
If there's any concern, the doctor will want to make sure your
child is measured again after a while, and she may refer your child
to a paediatrician for a more detailed check.
Questions and Answers
Q: I've been told my toddler should drink less milk so she can grow
better. She has about three bottles a day.
A: Milk is a useful food and drink, but if toddlers drink too much
they leave less room for other foods. Toddlers keen on milk often
drink large volumes - easy to do with a bottle - and it can be
better to cut down on the milk and to have more solids, especially
high calorie ones like wholegrain bread, pasta, rice and potatoes.
Too much milk can mean your toddler misses out on other nutrients,
too, like iron.
For more information regarding appropriate foods for your child
visit our
Feeding Your Baby
section on our site.