Percentile
Charts
This is a graph which has printed
'centile curves' to depict the measurements
of a large number of babies. Your doctor
may mention baby's percentile to you - an
example is if your 2 month old is in the
75th percentile for weight this simply means
that 75% of the 2 month olds in the country
are lighter and 25% are heavier than your
baby. Conversely if your baby's weight is
on the 25th percentile curve it means that
75% of all babies measured will be heavier
and 25% will be lighter than your baby.
These measurements serve the purpose of
being a general guide to keep track of your
baby's development. It is important to remember
that the rate of growth and not baby's exact
position on the charts is what counts. Parents
should not be overly concerned about percentiles
- if at all they should watch out for baby's
steady growth which is much more important
at this stage.
How
is Baby measured..
 Head
circumference. Your baby's head
and brain continues to grow during the first
year unlike her other vital organs which
are fully formed at birth. Using a measuring
tape the pediatrician will measure baby's
head by placing the tape just above her
eyebrows and ear and around the back of
her head. This measurement is essential
as the growth reflects the growth of the
brain. An unusually large or small head
circumference may be an indication of an
abnormality of the brain.
At
birth: the normal range
is between 31 -39 cm (12-15¼
in) with 35 cm being the average.
At 4 weeks:
the normal range is between
33 - 40 cm (13-15¾ in)
At 6 weeks:
the normal range is between
34 - 42 cm (13¼-16½
in) |
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Weight.
Newborns differ greatly in weight; nutrition,
placenta and race issues influence baby's
weight. Term babies' weight lies in the
2.5-4.5 kg range (5½-10 lbs). A woman
with a shorter pregnancy will have a lighter
baby. Girls generally weigh lesser and twins
are likely to weigh less than a single baby.
It is normal for baby to lose weight in
the first few days post birth as her body
adjusts to the feeding routines. The usual
weight loss at this time is about 115-170
g (4-6 oz), after which baby starts to regain
her birth weight steadily over the next
10 days. Steady weight gain assures us that
food intake is sufficient and absorption
is good. For the first three months baby
should gain an approximately 150-200 g (about
6 oz). For accuracy baby will be totally
undressed and placed on a scale which has
been set to a zero. However it is not unusual
to dress baby in a vest and nappy to prevent
distress.
At
birth: the normal range
is between 2½ - 4½
kg (5½-10 lbs)
At 4 weeks:
the normal range is between
3 - 6 kg (6½-13 lbs)
At 6 weeks:
the normal range is between
3.2 - 6½ kg (7-14 lbs) |
|
Length/height Until baby
is old enough to stand still on his own,
he will be measured lying down. Sometimes
a special device with a head and foot board
will be used for accuracy. A long baby doesn't
necessarily mean he is going to be a tall
adult. Further, length measurements can
be wrong because babies this age tend to
lie curled up - measuring length depends
on how far the baby's legs can be stretched.
At
birth: the normal length
is between 45 - 57 cm (17½-22½
in)
At 4 weeks:
the normal length is between
48 - 60 cm (19-23½ in)
At 6 weeks:
the normal length is between
51 - 62 cm (20-24¼ in) |
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