Weight
Length
Head circumference
Slow growth?
Two stories
On the whole, how your baby grows during the earlier months after being born will be very individual. Babies will follow their own growth pattern. While most babies will be 'within' the 10th to 90th percentiles on a growth chart, a minority of babies will be 'off the scale' (either under or over this average). The concept of 'growth' from a health professional's point of view should generally relate to gradual increases in your baby's measurements over time. As long as your baby is maintaining a steady growth pattern, and appears to be in good health, this should be the focus, rather than where they are on the growth percentile chart. Remember, the ideal relationship between height and weight is that they are in proportion to each other. This means that a child of a lower than average height is also likely to have a lower than average weight.
The following is a guide to the 'average' expectations for a baby's growth in the early months.
Weight. Most babies will lose up to 10% of their birthweight during the first 3-5 days after birth, and regain this weight by the time they are 10 to 14 days old, if not earlier. From about 2 weeks of age your baby should gradually increase in their weight by anything from 150 grams to 400 grams each week. A baby's weight can fluctuate from week to week, with smaller gains some weeks and larger gains in others. Weighing once a fortnight or once a month may be more of a guide to gradual progress rather than once a week. Babies will usually double their birthweight by the time they are about 6 months old.
Length.A baby's length will usually increase by about 3 to 5 cms per month for the first few months. 'No growth' for a couple of weeks, and a 'growth spurt' every few weeks, are both normal. Again, spacing this measurement out to every few weeks may be more of a guide, than measuring every week.
Head circumference.