What is the average length of a newborn baby. How does infant length change during the first 12 months. What factors influence a baby’s growth in length. When should parents be concerned about their infant’s length.

Understanding Newborn Length: Averages and Ranges

The length of a newborn baby is an important indicator of their overall health and development. On average, newborns measure between 19 and 20 inches (48.2-50.8 centimeters) from the crown of the head to the heel. However, a range of 18.5-20.9 inches (47-53 cm) is considered typical for healthy infants.

It’s worth noting that male babies tend to be slightly longer than female babies at birth. Healthcare providers use these measurements as a baseline for tracking an infant’s growth over time.

Why is newborn length important?

Newborn length serves as a crucial baseline for monitoring a baby’s growth and development. It helps healthcare providers:

• Assess overall health
• Identify potential growth issues early
• Track developmental milestones
• Ensure proper nutrition

Month-by-Month Growth Chart: Tracking Infant Length

The World Health Organization (WHO) provides standard growth charts based on data from six countries, including the United States. These charts represent the expected growth of infants in optimal environments, including those who are breastfed.

Here’s a breakdown of average lengths for male and female babies during their first year:

How much do babies typically grow in length during the first year?

During their first year of life, babies generally experience a remarkable 50% increase in length. This rapid growth is most pronounced in the early months, with the rate gradually slowing as the year progresses. It’s important to remember that these figures represent averages, and individual babies may grow at different rates while remaining perfectly healthy.

Factors Influencing Infant Length and Growth

Several factors can impact a baby’s length at birth and their subsequent growth pattern. Understanding these influences can help parents and healthcare providers better interpret an infant’s growth trajectory.

Genetic Factors

Genetics play a significant role in determining a baby’s length and growth potential. Children often have similar height characteristics to their biological parents. However, it’s important to note that a baby’s length at birth or in early infancy may not necessarily predict their adult height.

Prenatal Factors

Various aspects of pregnancy can influence a newborn’s length:

• Maternal nutrition
• Maternal health conditions (e.g., anemia, hypertension)
• Exposure to certain medications or substances
• Gestational age at birth

Postnatal Factors

After birth, several factors continue to influence an infant’s growth in length:

• Nutrition (breastfeeding vs. formula feeding)
• Overall health and presence of medical conditions
• Sleep patterns
• Environmental factors

Interpreting Growth Patterns: When to Be Concerned

While it’s natural for parents to be concerned about their baby’s growth, it’s crucial to understand that healthy babies can come in a wide range of sizes. Healthcare providers focus more on an infant’s overall growth pattern rather than isolated measurements.

What constitutes a cause for concern in infant length?

Healthcare providers may become concerned if:

• A baby’s length falls below the 5th percentile on growth charts
• There’s a sudden change in growth rate
• The baby’s length is disproportionate to their weight
• There are signs of developmental delays accompanying abnormal growth

It’s important to note that by 12 months, a male infant measuring less than 28.5 inches or a female infant measuring less than 27.5 inches would fall below the 5th percentile. However, this alone doesn’t necessarily indicate a problem, especially if the growth pattern has been consistent.

The Importance of Consistent Measuring Techniques

Accurate measurement of infant length is crucial for proper growth assessment. However, research has shown that length measurements during routine well-child visits are prone to errors. These discrepancies can be due to various factors, including the baby’s movement and differences in measuring techniques among healthcare providers.

How can parents ensure accurate length measurements?

To ensure accurate tracking of their baby’s growth:

• Request repeat measurements if results seem inconsistent
• Use the same measuring device at home if tracking between visits
• Ensure the baby is fully extended during measurement
• Consider having the same healthcare provider perform measurements when possible

Beyond Length: The Importance of Holistic Growth Assessment

While length is an important aspect of infant growth, it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Healthcare providers consider multiple factors when assessing a baby’s overall health and development.

What other factors do healthcare providers consider alongside length?

A comprehensive growth assessment includes:

• Weight
• Head circumference
• Body proportions
• Developmental milestones
• Feeding patterns
• Overall health and medical history

This holistic approach provides a more accurate picture of a baby’s growth and development, allowing for early identification of potential issues and appropriate interventions if necessary.

Long-Term Growth Projections: From Infancy to Adulthood

It’s natural for parents to wonder about their child’s future height based on their length as an infant. However, it’s important to understand that early measurements don’t always accurately predict adult height.

Can infant length predict adult height?

While infant length can provide some clues about future growth, it’s not a definitive predictor of adult height. Several factors influence long-term growth:

• Genetic potential
• Nutrition throughout childhood and adolescence
• Overall health and presence of medical conditions
• Hormonal factors, especially during puberty
• Environmental influences

A baby who is shorter than average at birth or during infancy may still grow to be a tall adult, and vice versa. Growth patterns can change significantly during childhood and especially during the adolescent growth spurt.

Supporting Healthy Growth: Tips for Parents

While genetics play a significant role in determining a child’s growth potential, there are several ways parents can support healthy growth and development.

How can parents promote healthy growth in their infants?

To support optimal growth:

• Ensure proper nutrition through breastfeeding or appropriate formula feeding
• Follow recommended vaccination schedules
• Provide a safe and stimulating environment
• Encourage physical activity as the baby develops
• Maintain regular check-ups with a pediatrician
• Address any health concerns promptly

Remember that every baby is unique, and growth patterns can vary widely among healthy infants. Consistent monitoring and open communication with healthcare providers are key to ensuring your baby’s optimal growth and development.

Understanding Growth Charts and Percentiles

Growth charts are valuable tools used by healthcare providers to track a baby’s growth over time. These charts plot a child’s measurements against those of other children of the same age and gender, providing a visual representation of growth patterns.

How do growth charts work?

Growth charts use percentiles to show where a child’s measurements fall in comparison to other children:

• The 50th percentile represents the average measurement for a given age and gender
• A measurement at the 75th percentile means 75% of children of the same age and gender have a lower measurement
• Measurements between the 5th and 95th percentiles are generally considered within the normal range

It’s important to note that a single measurement on a growth chart doesn’t provide a complete picture. Healthcare providers look for consistent growth patterns over time, rather than focusing on isolated measurements.

What do different percentiles mean for infant length?

Different percentiles on growth charts can be interpreted as follows:

• Below 5th percentile: May indicate slower growth, but not necessarily a problem if consistent
• 5th to 95th percentile: Generally considered within the normal range
• Above 95th percentile: May indicate faster growth, but not necessarily a concern if proportionate and consistent

Remember that it’s more important for a child to maintain a consistent growth pattern than to fall within a specific percentile range. Sudden changes in percentiles or crossing multiple percentile lines may warrant further investigation.

The Role of Nutrition in Infant Length and Growth

Proper nutrition plays a crucial role in supporting healthy growth and development during infancy. Both breastfeeding and formula feeding can provide the necessary nutrients for optimal growth, but there are some differences to consider.

How does breastfeeding impact infant growth?

Breastfeeding offers numerous benefits for infant growth:

• Provides perfectly balanced nutrition tailored to the baby’s needs
• Contains antibodies that support immune system development
• May lead to a slightly different growth pattern compared to formula-fed babies
• Often results in a more gradual weight gain, which is considered healthy

What about formula feeding and growth?

Formula feeding can also support healthy growth:

• Provides consistent nutrition with carefully balanced nutrients
• May lead to slightly faster weight gain in early months compared to breastfeeding
• Allows for easier monitoring of intake quantities
• Can be fortified with additional nutrients if recommended by a healthcare provider

Regardless of the feeding method, it’s important to follow recommended feeding schedules and amounts, and to consult with a healthcare provider about any concerns related to growth or nutrition.

Special Considerations: Premature and Low Birth Weight Babies

Premature babies and those born with low birth weight often have different growth patterns compared to full-term infants. These babies may require special attention and monitoring to ensure they catch up in growth.

How is growth assessed in premature babies?

For premature infants:

• Adjusted age is used when plotting growth on charts (age calculated from due date rather than birth date)
• Special growth charts designed for premature infants may be used
• More frequent monitoring may be necessary to ensure adequate growth
• Catch-up growth is often observed in the first few years of life

What about low birth weight babies?

Babies born with low birth weight:

• May have a different growth trajectory in early life
• Often experience rapid catch-up growth in the first few months
• May require specialized nutrition plans to support growth
• Need close monitoring to ensure they reach developmental milestones

In both cases, healthcare providers will work closely with parents to develop appropriate feeding and monitoring plans to support optimal growth and development.

The Impact of Environmental Factors on Infant Growth

While genetics and nutrition play significant roles in infant growth, environmental factors can also influence a baby’s growth pattern. Understanding these factors can help parents create an optimal environment for their child’s development.

Which environmental factors can affect infant growth?

Several environmental elements can impact growth:

• Exposure to toxins or pollutants
• Socioeconomic factors affecting access to healthcare and nutrition
• Stress levels in the home environment
• Sleep quality and quantity
• Physical activity levels as the baby develops
• Exposure to infections or illnesses

By addressing these factors and creating a nurturing environment, parents can support their baby’s healthy growth and development. Regular communication with healthcare providers can help identify and address any concerns related to environmental influences on growth.

What is the average baby length? Growth chart by month

The average length for a newborn is 19–20 inches (in) (48.2–50.8 centimeters [cm]) from the top of the head to the heel of the foot, but this can vary. Doctors also consider a range of 18.5–20.9 in (47–53 cm) to be typical.

Male babies are also slightly longer than female babies, on average.

Most newborn babies follow a predictable level of growth during their first year. People can track the length of their baby using average growth charts.

This article looks at the average baby length, month-by-month, for the first year of life. We also discuss what it means when a baby is shorter or longer than average and when to speak with a doctor.

The World Health Organization (WHO) publishes standard infant growth charts according to the expected growth of children in six countries, including the United States, in optimal growth environments. This includes those who engage in breastfeeding.

It is important to note that most people use the terms “length” and “height” interchangeably. However, until the age of 2 years, most doctors will measure babies’ lengths lying down. In measurement terms, experts call this recumbent length. This is different from height, which doctors will measure after the age of 2 years when a child is able to stand.

In the first year of their lives, babies typically grow in length by 50%. According to the WHO’s growth charts, the average lengths for male babies and female babies by month are as follows:

Age	Male baby	Female baby
Birth	19.69 in (50 cm)	19.29 in (49 cm)
1 month	21.65 in (55 cm)	21.26 in (54 cm)
2 months	23.03 in (58.5 cm)	22.44 in (57 cm)
3 months	24.21 in (61.5 cm)	23.62 in (60 cm)
4 months	25.20 in (64 cm)	24.41 in (62 cm)
5 months	25.98 in (66 cm)	25. 20 in (64 cm)
6 months	26.77 in (68 cm)	25.48 in (66 cm)
7 months	27.17 in (69 cm)	26.38 in (67 cm)
8 months	27.95 in (71 cm)	27.17 in (69 cm)
9 months	28.35 in (72 cm)	27.56 in (70 cm)
10 months	28.74 in (73 cm)	28.15 in (71.5 cm)
11 months	29.33 in (74.5 cm)	28.74 in (73 cm)
12 months	29.92 in (76 cm)	29.13 in (74 cm)

It is important to note that the above numbers represent averages. Children can be healthy at a wide range of heights. No matter how long a baby is at birth, they are likely to grow at similar rates to other babies.

This means that if a baby is born longer than average, they are likely to stay this way during their first or second year of growth.

A baby’s growth in length during the first year almost always depends on their length at birth, unless they have significant issues, such as feeding difficulties or medical problems, that may cause insufficient length or weight gain.

For this reason, length alone does not reveal whether a baby is healthy. Weight is also an important consideration, especially since many newborns lose some weight after birth. Doctors will also look at factors, including gestational age and how much and how well a baby is eating.

Most healthy babies follow a similar growth pattern during the first year of life. After that, growth rates vary, and a baby’s length is not usually a good predictor of their height as an adult.

A parent or caregiver who takes their baby in for measuring should also know that an infant’s measured length can vary according to who is doing the measuring and how much the baby is moving around at the time. Research shows that length measurements during infant well checkups have the most measurement errors.

Therefore, if it seems there is an unexpected change in a baby’s length from one visit to the next, it can be due to differences in measuring. A person may wish to request another measurement during the visit or at the next one to rule out a legitimate issue.

Babies who are much smaller or larger than average in weight and length are more likely to experience health complications.

However, there is a wide variation in healthy birth weights, so parents and caregivers may not need to have concerns. A doctor will assess how closely they need to monitor a baby’s growth over time. Growth rates for length are fairly predictable among babies in the first year of life. Doctors are more interested in a baby’s overall growth pattern than their length.

A child who falls below the 5th percentile may have an atypical growth pattern. By the age of 12 months, having a length of 28.5 in as a male infant or 27.5 in for a female infant puts them below the fifth percentile.

However, this may not be apparent immediately. A baby who will be a tall adult may have a shorter length at birth and in the first year or two of life.

Numerous other factors may affect a child’s height, including:

• Genetics: Children are likely to be a similar height to their biological parents.
• The pregnancy: Research shows that factors, such as maternal anemia, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or obesity, may impact a baby’s growth after birth.
• Nutrition: Following a nutritious diet supports healthy growth.
• Hormones: Some children with hormonal imbalances grow slowly or more quickly than their peers.
• Health: A baby whose growth slows down that they fall into a much lower length group or whose length is persistently at a lower level may have a health issue. Some children with certain genetic conditions, such as Down syndrome, may be smaller than others.
• Medications: Some medications, such as steroids, including prednisone, may stunt growth.

People often do not see the effect of these issues on height in the first year of life.

During the first year of life, children should see their pediatrician at least seven times to monitor growth and overall health.

However, doctors’ recommendations may vary slightly. In general, a pediatrician will want to examine the baby at the following times in the first year:

• 3–5 days old
• 1 month old
• 2 months old
• 4 months old
• 6 months old
• 9 months old
• 12 months

A healthcare professional may recommend more frequent visits for a baby who loses a lot of weight after birth or has an unusual growth pattern.

In the early weeks of life, it can be difficult for parents or caregivers to know how much to feed a newborn. If the baby loses weight after birth, there could be feelings of pressure to help them regain the weight as quickly as possible, especially if the infant was born prematurely or has other health risk factors.

However, the amount of food newborns eat affects their weight much more than their length in the early stages of life. Insufficient weight gain needs to be present for a long time in infants before it affects their length.

Insufficient growth in length by itself in the first year is very uncommon and would more likely be due to a genetic syndrome or other uncommon condition.

How much should breastfed babies eat?

Most breastfed newborns eat every 1–3 hours. Over time, the time between feedings may expand to 2–4 hours. People can feed the baby on demand by following the baby’s feeding cues.

Since a nursing person cannot measure how much milk they are giving the baby, they can gauge whether the baby is getting enough milk by looking at the frequency of nursing and diaper changes. These indicators include the following:

• The baby is nursing at least 8–12 times in 24 hours
• By day 2, the baby should have at least two wet diapers in 24 hours. By day days 3 and 4, at least three or more wet diapers, and by day 5, at least six or more wet diapers.
• By day 4, at least 3–5 bowel movements a day.
• The baby is gaining weight.

How much should formula-fed babies eat?

Formula-fed babies may eat less frequently than breastfed babies. After the first few days, people typically feed formula-fed babies with 1–2 ounces (oz) of milk per feeding, which may increase to 2–4 oz by the end of the first month.

Like breastfed newborns, formula-fed infants should eventually eat 8–12 times in 24 hours, including at night. This will continue until they are approximately 6 months old when the child is ready to begin eating solid foods.

Like adults, babies are unique — there is no right or ideal length. As long as the infant is growing normally and does not suddenly fall well below their previous growth percentile, they are usually fine.

Before the age of 2 years, doctors usually measure a baby’s length lying down. After the age of 2 years, when a child is able to stand, a doctor can begin to measure their standing height.

Caregivers should know that at this stage, doctors may switch from the WHO growth charts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) growth reference charts.

Since standing height measures slightly less than recumbent length, a child’s classification may change slightly at this point. The pediatrician can help parents and caregivers answer questions about length, growth, nutrition, and more.

What is the average baby length? Growth chart by month

The average length for a newborn is 19–20 inches (in) (48.2–50.8 centimeters [cm]) from the top of the head to the heel of the foot, but this can vary. Doctors also consider a range of 18.5–20.9 in (47–53 cm) to be typical.

Male babies are also slightly longer than female babies, on average.

Most newborn babies follow a predictable level of growth during their first year. People can track the length of their baby using average growth charts.

This article looks at the average baby length, month-by-month, for the first year of life. We also discuss what it means when a baby is shorter or longer than average and when to speak with a doctor.

The World Health Organization (WHO) publishes standard infant growth charts according to the expected growth of children in six countries, including the United States, in optimal growth environments. This includes those who engage in breastfeeding.

It is important to note that most people use the terms “length” and “height” interchangeably. However, until the age of 2 years, most doctors will measure babies’ lengths lying down. In measurement terms, experts call this recumbent length. This is different from height, which doctors will measure after the age of 2 years when a child is able to stand.

In the first year of their lives, babies typically grow in length by 50%. According to the WHO’s growth charts, the average lengths for male babies and female babies by month are as follows:

Age	Male baby	Female baby
Birth	19.69 in (50 cm)	19.29 in (49 cm)
1 month	21.65 in (55 cm)	21.26 in (54 cm)
2 months	23.03 in (58.5 cm)	22.44 in (57 cm)
3 months	24.21 in (61. 5 cm)	23.62 in (60 cm)
4 months	25.20 in (64 cm)	24.41 in (62 cm)
5 months	25.98 in (66 cm)	25.20 in (64 cm)
6 months	26.77 in (68 cm)	25.48 in (66 cm)
7 months	27.17 in (69 cm)	26.38 in (67 cm)
8 months	27.95 in (71 cm)	27.17 in (69 cm)
9 months	28.35 in (72 cm)	27.56 in (70 cm)
10 months	28.74 in (73 cm)	28.15 in (71.5 cm)
11 months	29.33 in (74.5 cm)	28.74 in (73 cm)
12 months	29.92 in (76 cm)	29.13 in (74 cm)

It is important to note that the above numbers represent averages. Children can be healthy at a wide range of heights. No matter how long a baby is at birth, they are likely to grow at similar rates to other babies.

This means that if a baby is born longer than average, they are likely to stay this way during their first or second year of growth.

A baby’s growth in length during the first year almost always depends on their length at birth, unless they have significant issues, such as feeding difficulties or medical problems, that may cause insufficient length or weight gain.

For this reason, length alone does not reveal whether a baby is healthy. Weight is also an important consideration, especially since many newborns lose some weight after birth. Doctors will also look at factors, including gestational age and how much and how well a baby is eating.

Most healthy babies follow a similar growth pattern during the first year of life. After that, growth rates vary, and a baby’s length is not usually a good predictor of their height as an adult.

A parent or caregiver who takes their baby in for measuring should also know that an infant’s measured length can vary according to who is doing the measuring and how much the baby is moving around at the time. Research shows that length measurements during infant well checkups have the most measurement errors.

Therefore, if it seems there is an unexpected change in a baby’s length from one visit to the next, it can be due to differences in measuring. A person may wish to request another measurement during the visit or at the next one to rule out a legitimate issue.

Babies who are much smaller or larger than average in weight and length are more likely to experience health complications.

However, there is a wide variation in healthy birth weights, so parents and caregivers may not need to have concerns. A doctor will assess how closely they need to monitor a baby’s growth over time. Growth rates for length are fairly predictable among babies in the first year of life. Doctors are more interested in a baby’s overall growth pattern than their length.

A child who falls below the 5th percentile may have an atypical growth pattern. By the age of 12 months, having a length of 28.5 in as a male infant or 27.5 in for a female infant puts them below the fifth percentile.

However, this may not be apparent immediately. A baby who will be a tall adult may have a shorter length at birth and in the first year or two of life.

Numerous other factors may affect a child’s height, including:

• Genetics: Children are likely to be a similar height to their biological parents.
• The pregnancy: Research shows that factors, such as maternal anemia, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or obesity, may impact a baby’s growth after birth.
• Nutrition: Following a nutritious diet supports healthy growth.
• Hormones: Some children with hormonal imbalances grow slowly or more quickly than their peers.
• Health: A baby whose growth slows down that they fall into a much lower length group or whose length is persistently at a lower level may have a health issue. Some children with certain genetic conditions, such as Down syndrome, may be smaller than others.
• Medications: Some medications, such as steroids, including prednisone, may stunt growth.

People often do not see the effect of these issues on height in the first year of life.

During the first year of life, children should see their pediatrician at least seven times to monitor growth and overall health.

However, doctors’ recommendations may vary slightly. In general, a pediatrician will want to examine the baby at the following times in the first year:

• 3–5 days old
• 1 month old
• 2 months old
• 4 months old
• 6 months old
• 9 months old
• 12 months

A healthcare professional may recommend more frequent visits for a baby who loses a lot of weight after birth or has an unusual growth pattern.

In the early weeks of life, it can be difficult for parents or caregivers to know how much to feed a newborn. If the baby loses weight after birth, there could be feelings of pressure to help them regain the weight as quickly as possible, especially if the infant was born prematurely or has other health risk factors.

However, the amount of food newborns eat affects their weight much more than their length in the early stages of life. Insufficient weight gain needs to be present for a long time in infants before it affects their length.

Insufficient growth in length by itself in the first year is very uncommon and would more likely be due to a genetic syndrome or other uncommon condition.

How much should breastfed babies eat?

Most breastfed newborns eat every 1–3 hours. Over time, the time between feedings may expand to 2–4 hours. People can feed the baby on demand by following the baby’s feeding cues.

Since a nursing person cannot measure how much milk they are giving the baby, they can gauge whether the baby is getting enough milk by looking at the frequency of nursing and diaper changes. These indicators include the following:

• The baby is nursing at least 8–12 times in 24 hours
• By day 2, the baby should have at least two wet diapers in 24 hours. By day days 3 and 4, at least three or more wet diapers, and by day 5, at least six or more wet diapers.
• By day 4, at least 3–5 bowel movements a day.
• The baby is gaining weight.

How much should formula-fed babies eat?

Formula-fed babies may eat less frequently than breastfed babies. After the first few days, people typically feed formula-fed babies with 1–2 ounces (oz) of milk per feeding, which may increase to 2–4 oz by the end of the first month.

Like breastfed newborns, formula-fed infants should eventually eat 8–12 times in 24 hours, including at night. This will continue until they are approximately 6 months old when the child is ready to begin eating solid foods.

Like adults, babies are unique — there is no right or ideal length. As long as the infant is growing normally and does not suddenly fall well below their previous growth percentile, they are usually fine.

Before the age of 2 years, doctors usually measure a baby’s length lying down. After the age of 2 years, when a child is able to stand, a doctor can begin to measure their standing height.

Caregivers should know that at this stage, doctors may switch from the WHO growth charts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) growth reference charts.

Since standing height measures slightly less than recumbent length, a child’s classification may change slightly at this point. The pediatrician can help parents and caregivers answer questions about length, growth, nutrition, and more.

Baby height and weight norms

Newborns come into this world completely unadapted to the environment. Therefore, your care and care will help the kids become strong and strong. During the year, the child acquires many new skills, becomes mobile and inquisitive, and also increases the mass and length of the body more than twice.

Each person on Earth is individual, but despite this, there are general patterns and principles for increasing the weight and length of the body of children. And every mom can rely on them. But you don’t need to check to the gram and centimeter!

The average birth weight for girls is 2800 – 3300 grams, and for boys 2900 – 3500 grams. The average body length for both sexes is 48-51 centimeters. But if your child does not meet these parameters, this is not a reason to panic.

In the first few days of life, a newborn can lose up to 10% percent of the mass, but by 10-14 days he should restore the parameters that he had at birth.

During the first month, the child adds 25-30 grams every day, and in a month the total increase is about 600 grams. Then the monthly weight gain is 800 grams for up to six months and 400 grams monthly for up to 1 year. In a year, the average weight of your baby should be approximately 10 kg.

How do you know if your baby is gaining enough weight?

The first thing you need to pay attention to is the well-being of the child. It is also necessary to note the rate of absorption of food. If he eagerly sucks milk or formula, requires feeding every 20-30 minutes, then it is worth counting the amount of food eaten by the baby.

If your baby is bottle-fed, you can easily determine how much he eats at a time. But how to understand how much a child receives at one meal if you are breastfeeding? The answer is very simple – weigh it before and after eating. The difference in weight is the amount of food eaten. You can find the approximate volume of feeding a child in the first year of life in table No. 1. If your child is not eating enough, do not try to adjust the diet yourself, it is better to contact a pediatrician.

To measure the baby’s body weight, conventional scales will not work, since accuracy is very important for your child in the first months of life.

It is better to use special children’s scales, which are specially adapted for the smallest. It is convenient to put the baby on them, and they are accurate to the gram, which is very important for newborns.

Child’s age	Amount of milk eaten per feeding, ml	Number of milk eaten per day.
3-4 days	20-60	200-300 ml
1 Week	50-80	400 ml
2 weeks	60-90	20% of the child’s weight
1 month	100-110	600 ml
2 months	120-150	800 ml
3 months	150-180	1/6 of the child’s weight
4 months	180-210	1/6 of the child’s weight
5-6 months	210-240	1/7 of the child’s weight (800 ml -1 liter)
7-12 months	210-240	1/8 – 1/9 of the child’s weight

As for the length of the body of the baby. For the first three months, children grow on average by 3 cm per month, from the third to the sixth month by 2. 5 cm. After six months, the growth rate slows down a little, and the child begins to add 1-1.5 cm per month. The average body length per year is approximately 75-80 cm. The correct measurement of height in children of the first year of life is carried out in a supine position using a horizontal stadiometer in the form of a board eighty centimeters long with a fixed bar in the upper part. The child is laid so that the top of the head is pressed tightly into the fixed bar. The legs of the crumbs are straightened by light pressure on the knees.

If your baby differs from the average norms for weight and body length, do not panic, but be sure to contact your pediatrician! After all, the lag or, conversely, the acceleration of development can have many reasons. And also remember that every person on Earth and every child is individual and has its own pace of physical development.

Growth and weight standards for children and adolescents

The physical development of a child as a combination of various indicators (length, weight, shape, strength, etc. ) characterizing his growth and development is due to a complex of hereditary and social factors. To study the physical development of children and adolescents, a unified method for measuring the human body and its parts has been developed. All anthropometric indicators can be divided into two groups: basic (body length, body weight, chest and head circumference) and additional (other anthropometric indicators, for example, leg length, head height, etc.). Analysis of the main anthropometric indicators at the time of the examination makes it possible to assess the physical condition of the child, in dynamics – the pace of physical development. At the same time, the features of the physique, the state of the musculoskeletal system, the degree of puberty, etc. are taken into account. Physical development is analyzed by comparing individual or group indicators with average data (standards) characteristic of the corresponding age and gender of the child.

The value of indicators of a child’s physical development can be explained by a number of arguments. For many chronic diseases of childhood, there are no specific symptoms related to the early stage of the development of the disease, therefore, a violation of physical development is one of the first signs of trouble and serves as an indication for an in-depth examination of the child. Violations of the physical development of children and adolescents may be the result of malnutrition, lack of necessary care, improper or harsh treatment of the child, etc. Violations of physical development can cause constitutional features, congenital or hereditary pathology of the developmental apparatus. Such children have imperfect mechanisms of adaptation and anti-infective protection, for example, a lack of body weight in a child may be accompanied by a higher frequency of minor developmental anomalies. Any deviations of anthropometric parameters from the norm at the birth of a child can become one of the reasons for the decrease in immunological resistance, increasing the likelihood of a disease in the first year of life by half, and the probability of death by 4 times. All factors characterizing the growth and development of the child’s body can be divided into genetic and environmental factors. The influence of heredity affects the growth of the child after 2 years of life.

Hereditary factors mainly determine the rate and possible limit of a child’s growth under optimal environmental conditions.

The influence of environmental factors on the growth rate of the child’s body can be traced very clearly. Among these factors, nutrition and vitamin sufficiency, motor mode and emotional stress, acute and chronic diseases, the influence of climatic and geographical conditions, etc. are distinguished. At the same time, environmental factors can slow down or accelerate growth processes, but in general the growth trend is quite stable, it obeys the conservation law growth. A variety of adverse influences that disrupt the individual growth rate of a child can subsequently be neutralized by the phenomenon of “catch-up or compensatory growth.” What happens to the physical development of your baby from the moment of birth to its full maturity? We observe the growth and development of a child in the first year of life: How can we understand if he is healthy, is everything okay with him? Remember: the health of a child is judged primarily by its weight, height and head circumference. On average, a newborn’s body weight is 3.0-3.5 kg, body length 50 cm, head circumference 35 cm. But do not expect your baby to necessarily meet this standard. Children are considered normal if their indicators are within the following limits: body weight 2.5-4.5 kg, length 45-55 cm, head circumference 33-37 cm. Immediately after birth, babies lose some weight, and then regain it and start adding. Further weight gain as well as height and head circumference are important indicators of your child’s condition. By the end of the 1st year of life, body length increases by 47% in relation to body length at birth.

Weight gain of a child in the first year of life: by 4-5 months, body weight doubles, by the 1st year it increases 3 times. The head circumference of a child in the first 6 months of life increases by approximately 1 cm per month, but if the father of the child is large and the mother is small, the growth rate of the head circumference may be above the norm, and in the opposite ratio – below the norm. The circumference of the chest of newborns is less than the circumference of the head, these dimensions are equalized only by the age of one. In the first month of life, the child must be weighed daily. Thus, you monitor the development of lactation and fix the daily weight gain. Body weight is the most sensitive indicator of a child’s health: whether he fell ill, whether his appetite worsened, whether his sleep was disturbed, whether you made any errors in care – all this will immediately be reflected in grams. A sign of nutritional adequacy is normotrophy – the correspondence of body weight due to a given body length of a child. If the weight of the baby has decreased by more than 10%, this is already a sign of malnutrition (malnutrition). Equally alarming is excess weight – parotrophy (excessive nutrition). But the increase in the growth of the child is a more stable indicator, and its violations often indicate the presence of the disease.

Assess the rate of development of your child in the first year of life, prescribe additional examinations in case of violations of the rate of weight gain, body length, head and chest circumference, correct nutrition, if necessary, a pediatrician will be able to, therefore the cooperation of parents is so important with a doctor from the very first year of a baby’s life.

It must be remembered that during the first month the pediatrician examines the child weekly, then, if the development of the baby corresponds to normal indicators, monthly. Assessment of the physical development of a child from one to 10 years. After your baby is one year old, he begins to grow by leaps and bounds. In the second year of life, he adds about 2.5-4.0 kg, and growth increases by 10-15 cm. At the age of 3 to 5 years, the baby adds 2 kg and 3 kg per year.

The head circumference of a child from 51 cm at the age of 5 increases to 53-54 cm at the age of 12. At 5-8 years old, the first traction occurs. But not all children grow in the same way – depending on a variety of factors, such as genetic ones. Children of undersized parents are usually smaller than their peers, but the processes of puberty they still occur on time. Faster growth than that of peers, with normal body proportions, is characteristic of children of tall parents. In some babies, the growth rate slows down from the second year of life, but after 2-3 years it accelerates again to normal. They have both growth and the onset of puberty delayed by a period during which growth was retarded, but final growth is in line with genetic potential. You must understand: the growth rate of the child should not correspond to any exact parameters, the criteria for “normality” are not at all rigid, but nevertheless, deviations in the growth rate of the child can also be pathological: for example, grossly out of proportion to age or accompanied by a violation of proportions body. Such cases require expert advice. It is also necessary to control body weight. As mentioned above, the lack and excess of body weight requires close monitoring of pediatricians, endocrinologists. In children with reduced body weight, there is a decrease in the immunological reactivity of the body, which leads to frequent colds. And excess everything is a risk factor for acquiring obesity in the future and all the serious diseases associated with it: atherosclerosis, heart disease, colon cancer, etc.

• Increase in the recommended amount of food;
• Satisfying a child’s thirst with milk, sugary drinks or formula;
• Excessive (more than 50-100 ml per day) consumption of sweet fruit juices and nectars;
• Use of excess high-calorie foods – fat, sweets, baked cottage cheese;
• Calming the child with food;
• Familial overeating, which distorts the child’s development of a real sense of the need for food;
• Force-feeding, cultivating the habit of eating everything on the plate.

Your pediatrician and endocrinologist will be able to establish the correct diet, give recommendations on the daily diet. Please remember that in the second year of life, the pediatrician examines the child once a quarter, from the third year of life once every six months, in the fourth year and then once a year. Your child is between 10 and 15 years old. A uniform increase in the growth of preschoolers is replaced by its sharp acceleration in adolescence. At 10-13 years old (for girls) and at 12-15 years old (for boys) there is a second traction and at the same time an increase in body weight. The maximum growth rate in girls usually occurs at 12 years of age. The increase in height at this age is approximately 8 cm per year. The maximum increase in body weight in girls usually occurs later at 13 years of age. In boys, the maximum growth rate usually occurs at 14-15 years of age and is approximately 10 cm per year. The maximum increase in the body of a boy usually occurs with a maximum increase in height. The probable final height depends on the height of the parents. It can be calculated using the following formula: Boy’s height = 1/2 x (father’s height + mother’s height) + 6.5 cm Girl’s height = 1/2 x (father’s height + mother’s height) – 6.5 cm. Possible error must be taken into account – the final height can be 8.5 cm more or less.

Boys themselves and their parents are often concerned about the delay in growth acceleration, while girls, on the contrary, are worried about excessively rapid growth. However, you need to worry only if the child’s growth parameters differ significantly from the parameters indicated in special tables and graphs. In such a situation, it is necessary to contact an endocrinologist.

Remember – there are methods that can influence these processes. One of the most important features of the physical development of children and adolescents is the uneven change in growth rate. In children, the distal segments of the body grow at a faster rate and in a shorter time than the upper and proximal segments.