Lots of parents worry about their baby's weight, how often they'll be weighed and if they are getting enough milk, and later food to help them grow and develop. Visit your local healthy child clinic for advice, information and support for you and your child's health and development from your local Health Visiting Team.
Kent health visitors and midwives created this film to show how your baby's growth is monitored during their early years, why this is important and what support is available for you and your baby.
Thank you to all the parents, children and colleagues at Kent Community Health Foundation Trust and East Kent University NHS Foundation Trust for their help in creating this video.
Steady weight gain is one of the signs that your baby is healthy and feeding well.
It's normal for babies to lose some weight in the first few days after birth but most babies are at, or above, their birthweight by two weeks. Your midwife or health visitor will support you if your baby doesn't get back to their birthweight in that time.
The growth charts at the back of your baby’s red book helps you keep track of your baby’s growth.
Your baby is expected to follow their centile line as they get older.
- Lighter than average at birth (on or between the second to ninth centiles or curved lines)
- An average weight (around the 50th centile)
- Heavier than average (on or between the 91st to 98th centiles).
Premature babies may grow in line with those born at term but for some babies their growth and development may be slower.
Your health visitor will measure your baby at each visit and at any healthy child clinics you attend.
Trust your baby – they generally know how much they need to eat.
Giving your child control over how much milk and later solids that they need by following their cues is the best way to support your child’s healthy growth.
You’ll learn and tune into your baby’s feeding cues that show you they’re hungry or have had enough and want to stop eating. This is called responsive feeding. By ignoring those cues, your child might grow up less able to tell when they’re full and they might eat too much. You can practice responsive feeding whether breast or bottle feeding.
How often should my baby be weighed?
After the first two weeks, your baby should be weighed:
- no more than once a month up to six months of age
- no more than once every two months from six to 12 months of age
- no more than once every three months over the age of one.