How Your Baby Grows - Weight Gain In The First Year
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Few things are more fascinating as a parent than watching your baby grow. Throughout her life, you will think, “I used to hold her in just one arm, and now she’s soooo big!” During the first year of your baby’s life, this growth is especially noticeable.
A newborn baby will generally weigh somewhere between 6 and 9 pounds. If your baby is lighter or heavier than this, she might get some extra attention during delivery and after to make sure that there are no problems. A baby’s size is influenced by a variety of factors, including parents’ size, gender, birth order, mother’s health, nutrition during pregnancy, and medical problems.
It is normal for a baby to drop a few ounces of fluid in the first week after birth. By the 2nd week, they should regain that weight. By the end of the first month, they will generally have gained about 15 ounces.
Between the ages of 1 to 3 months, your baby will probably gain about 6 ounces per week.
Between the ages of 4 and 7 months, your baby will probably gain around 1 and a half to 2 pounds per months. This rate typically slows a bit around 6 months of age, to between 1 and 1 and a quarter pounds per month. By 8 months old, your baby will probably weigh around 2 and a half times what she weighted at birth.
Between the ages of 8 and 12 months, your baby will steadily grow, but at a slower pace. By the time he reaches his first birthday, he should weigh around 3 times what he weighed when he was born.
Your health care provider will likely chart your baby’s growth, both in terms of weight and in terms of height. If you are concerned about the rate at which your baby is growing, your health care provider may be able to help you identify whether there is a problem and, if there is a problem, what the cause may be.
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