BABY GROWTH SPURTS
A baby’s growth spurts shows that he is well and healthy. But weight gain isn’t the only indicator. With age, children grow both in weight and height. Their rate of growth is not uniform throughout their period of childhood. Growth in the first few years of life is rapid but it slows down later.
WEIGHT:
Your baby’s weight will be monitored at the developmental checks that can be done at the local clinic. Babies are normally weighed naked and before a feed .One feature all babies have in common is chubby arms and legs; this is due to uneven fat distribution and your baby will not lose this until he begins to use his limbs and becomes active. A child should be weighed at monthly intervals during the first year, every two months during the second year and every three months thereafter up to the age of 5 years.
PATTERN OF WEIGHT GAIN:
- In the first few days, your baby may lose some of his birth weight.
- By the tenth day, he’ll regain weight.
- In the first six months, he’ll gain weight rapidly at a rate of about 1 kg each month.
- In the second six month, the weight gain slows down and he’ll put on around 500gms each month.
Some babies remain same for a while and then have a growth spurt.
LENGTH:
A baby’s height is partly inherited- if both parents are tall, the child is likely to be tall. The biggest increase in length occurs in the first six months, after which growth slows down. There’s no need to worry about growth, if your child appears well and healthy. The expected average weight and height of Indian children from birth is shown below:
BOYS:
| Age | weight(in kgs) | height (in cms) |
|---|---|---|
| Birth | 3.00 | 50.00 |
| 6 mths | 7.20 | 66.00 |
| 1yr | 9.50 | 75.00 |
| 2yrs | 11.50 | 85.00 |
| 3 yrs | 13.50 | 94.00 |
| 4 yrs | 15.40 | 100.00 |
| 5 yrs | 17.20 | 106.00 |
Girls:
| Age | weight(in kgs) | height (in cms) |
|---|---|---|
| Birth | 2.90 | 48.50 |
| 6 mths | 6.60 | 64.20 |
| 1yr | 9.00 | 72.50 |
| 2yrs | 11.00 | 84.00 |
| 3 yrs | 13.00 | 93.00 |
| 4 yrs | 15.00 | 99.00 |
| 5 yrs | 16.50 | 105.00 |
HEAD SIZE:
A new baby is top heavy with a disproportionately large head. This gradually alters over the first four years. Head circumference is monitored at the developmental clinics; if the proportions do not even out, it could mean certain medical conditions.
A new born baby’s head is floppy and he has no head control. As bone and muscle develop, he learns to control his head which is the first step towards walking. Once this skill is acquired, he will learn to sit and then, by the time he is 12 months old, he should be able to stand unsupported.
SENSORY DEVELOPMENT:
Babies discover their world through their senses.
EYESIGHT:
Your new born has limited but excellent vision. So you need to keep a distance of about 20-25 cms from his face, so that he can see your face and respond. By the first year his vision is well developed.
HEARING:
A baby recognizes his parents’ voices from birth-so keep talking to him from the very first day.
TOUCH:
Babies explore with their tongues, lips and their hands.
TASTE AND SMELL:
New born babies have a complete set of taste buds and can recognize their parents’s smell. They like sweet tastes and smells, which is why they love breast milk. Slowly they try out different tastes and make their likes and dislikes known.
It is good for parents to understand what normal baby growth is in order to monitor the baby’s growth closely.
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