General development in babies
Every baby develops at his own rate, and the ages at which various skills or aspects of co-ordination are achieved, are only approximations. Never try to force your child to go more quickly than he wants to - it will serve no purpose. Let him go at his own pace, while at the same time providing all the encouragement and help that you can.
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The main changes that occur in your baby's general appearance in this first year of life, besides those of size and weight, are his proportion, posture and body control. Your baby's head gradually gets smaller in proportion to the rest of his body and his limbs lengthen and strengthen, ready for walking. During the first year your baby gains general control of his body so that it's no longer floppy and he can move it purposefully.
Your baby goes through the fastest growing phase of life in the womb. Growth and weight will continue to be rapid during the first six months, but the rate will slow down towards the end of the first year. In general, a baby of average weight will increase his length by a quarter during the first six months, and double his weight. His head will increase in circumference by about twice as much in the first 12 months as it will in the next 11 years.
Long-term changes
Most size/weight charts plot the baby's weight in kilograms or pounds against the baby's age in weeks and his length in centimetres or inches. Except for the first few weeks of life when weight gain is watched rather closely, it's best not to watch your baby's weight obsessively. If your baby looks healthy and acts in a healthy way, then it's highly unlikely that there's anything wrong. It is the long-term trends that are important.
When you look at your baby's growth you should pay attention to the regularity of weight gain rather than the amount. As long as your baby's weight is increasing over the weeks, even if it is a bit erratic, and he shows signs of being happy and thriving, then you should not worry about weighing him too often. Furthermore, all size/weight charts are constructed for an “average” child. The average child is a theoretical statistic. Your baby is unique and his pattern of growth and weight gain will probably be quite different from any other babies that you know. That doesn't mean that he's abnormal.
New Babycare
Copyright © 2009 Dorling Kindersley
Text copyright © 2009 Miriam Stoppard
Posted 03.11.2010
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