8 months baby weight chart
Average baby weight: Chart and development
Weight is one indicator of good nutrition and physical development. It can therefore be helpful to know about babies’ average weight month by month.
First, it is worth noting that average weight is not “normal” weight. Just like adults, babies come in all shapes and sizes. If a baby’s weight is in a lower percentile, this does not necessarily signal a problem with their growth or physical development. With this in mind, using a weight chart can help a person generally track their baby’s growth.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend using the World Health Organization (WHO) weight chart for babies up to 2 years of age.
This article describes the average weight of a baby month by month from birth. It also explores what can affect a baby’s weight.
According to the WHO, the average birth weight of a full-term male baby is 7 pounds (lb) 6 ounces (oz), or 3.3 kilograms (kg). The average birth weight of a full-term female is 7 lb 2 oz, or 3. 2 kg.
The average weight of a baby born at 37–40 weeks ranges from 5 lb 8 oz to 8 lb 13 oz. This is 2.5 to 4 kg.
At delivery, experts consider a low birth weight to be less than 5 lb 8 oz, or 2.5 kg.
It is common for babies to lose around 10% of their weight shortly after birth. This decrease is mostly due to fluid loss and usually nothing to worry about. Most babies gain back this weight within 1 week.
Weight charts can help a person tell what percentile their baby’s weight falls into. For example, if their weight is in the 60th percentile, it means that 40% of babies of the same age and sex weigh more, and 60% of these babies weigh less.
This does not necessarily mean that any baby weighs too much or too little. It can simply indicate where a baby’s weight falls on a spectrum.
The chart below shows baby weights in the 50th percentile. This is the average weight. Male babies tend to weigh a little more than female babies, so the chart is divided by sex.
Baby age | Female 50th percentile weight | Male 50th percentile weight |
Birth | 7 lb 2 oz (3.2 kg) | 7 lb 6 oz (3.3 kg) |
1 month | 9 lb 4 oz (4.2 kg) | 9 lb 14 oz (4.5 kg) |
2 months | 11 lb 5 oz (5.1 kg) | 12 lb 4 oz (5.6 kg) |
3 months | 12 lb 14 oz (5.8 kg) | 14 lb 1 oz (6.4 kg) |
4 months | 14 lb 3 oz (6.4 kg) | 15 lb 7 oz (7.0 kg) |
5 months | 15 lb 3 oz (6.9 kg) | 16 lb 9 oz (7.5 kg) |
6 months | 16 lb 1 oz (7.3 kg) | 17 lb 8 oz (7.9 kg) |
7 months | 16 lb 14 oz (7.6 kg) | 18 lb 5 oz (8.3 kg) |
8 months | 17 lb 8 oz (7.9 kg) | 18 lb 15 oz (8.6 kg) |
9 months | 18 lb 2 oz (8.2 kg) | 19 lb 10 oz (8.9 kg) |
10 months | 18 lb 11 oz (8.5 kg) | 20 lb 3 oz (9. 2 kg) |
11 months | 19 lb 4 oz (8.7 kg) | 20 lb 12 oz (9.4 kg) |
12 months | 19 lb 12 oz (8.9 kg) | 21 lb 4 oz (9.6 kg) |
Babies grow and gain weight the fastest within the first 6 months of life. Although this can vary, babies tend to gain around 4–7 oz, or 113–200 grams (g), per week in the first 4–6 months.
Weight gain then slows slightly, with an average gain of around 3–5 oz (about 85–140 g) per week when the baby is 6–18 months. On average, babies triple their birth weight by their first birthday.
Growth patterns do not follow a clear schedule, however.
Some babies gain weight steadily and stay in the same percentile, or close to it, for several months. Others gain weight rapidly, signalling a growth spurt, which can happen at any time. This may move a baby into a new weight percentile.
It is important not to focus on weight as the only indicator of physical development. Other measurements of this development include the baby’s length and head circumference.
Considering all three measurements gives doctors an idea about how the baby is growing, compared with other babies of the same age and sex.
Meanwhile, it is also important to keep other developmental milestones in mind. Various checklists of milestones by age are available, including one from Pathways.org, which is endorsed by organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners.
For anyone looking for more information about what influences the weight of a baby, several factors can be involved, including:
Sex
Male newborns tend to be bigger than female newborns, and they typically gain weight a little faster during infancy.
Nutrition
Weight gain and growth rates can also depend on whether the baby consumes breast milk or formula.
The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that breastfed babies gain weight and grow faster than formula-fed babies during the first 6 months.
However, that rate can shift during the next 6 months. Breastfed babies may gain weight and grow more slowly than formula-fed babies when they are aged 6 months to 1 year.
Medical conditions
Underlying health issues can cause a baby to gain weight more slowly. For example, babies with congenital heart irregularities may gain weight at a slower rate than babies without this condition.
Health issues that affect nutrient absorption or digestion, such as celiac disease, may also lead to slow weight gain.
Prematurity
Babies born prematurely may grow and gain weight more slowly during their first year than babies born at full term.
However, many babies born prematurely gain weight rapidly and “catch up” by about their first birthday.
The average birth weight for full-term male babies is 7 lb 6 oz, or 3.3 kg. For female babies born full-term, the average birth weight is 7 lb 2 oz, or 3.2 kg.
Baby weight charts can help a healthcare team track a baby’s physical development by comparing the baby’s weight with the weights of others of the same age and sex.
Still, a doctor usually looks for steady growth, rather than a target percentile, when assessing a baby’s physical development. And even if a baby’s weight is in a lower percentile, they will not necessarily be a small adult — just as longer babies do not necessarily become tall adults.
Knowing about average weights by month can help people gauge their babies’ physical development, but doctors also look for other important indicators, such as length and head circumference.
Healthcare professionals also take into account whether a baby is generally hitting other milestones on time. And by taking a detailed medical history, they can rule out any medical conditions or nutritional considerations that may be preventing a baby from gaining weight appropriately.
Baby Weight Chart: Is Your Baby On Track?
Use our baby weight chart to find out where your baby falls on the growth charts. Plus, get tips on how to help babies who are a little behind catch up.
At some point, almost every parent wonders if their baby’s weight gain is within normal range. Is she growing too fast? Not fast enough? This baby weight chart can help ease your mind.
- 👧 Girls
- 🧒 Boys
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Girls Baby Weight Chart
Switch to Metric
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Boys Baby Weight Chart
The information in this chart is from The World Health Organization (WHO) and is for educational purposes only. This chart should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care. If you have any concerns about baby’s health, talk to your pediatrician right away.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about your baby’s weight.
How Do Doctors Use a Baby Weight Chart?
At each well-child checkup, your baby is weighed and measured, and these numbers are recorded on a chart. The doctor looks at these numbers to determine if baby is growing well for his age.
Each baby is different, and not all babies will fall directly in the middle of the chart. In fact, most won’t.
As long as baby is growing steadily and on the chart, there is usually no cause for concern.
Breastfed vs. Formula-fed: How Growth Patterns Differ
Breastfed babies gain weight differently than formula-fed babies.
- Days 1-3: Before mom’s milk comes in, breastfed babies lose about 7 percent of their birth weight. Formula-fed babies, on the other hand, only lose about 3.5 percent of their birth weight.
- 0-3 months: Babies resume patterns of rapid growth after the first few days of life, with breastfed babies initially outpacing their formula-fed peers.
- 3-12 months: Once baby approaches three months of age, formula-fed babies begin to catch up to—and even tend to exceed—breastfed babies.
But until recently, many growth charts didn’t reflect this. In 2016, the CDC finally changed their charts to better reflect the growth patterns of breastfed children. (Note: The interactive chart above is based on WHO baby weight charts, which accounts for breastfeeding, since globally there are more mothers who breastfeed.)
Baby Weight Chart – WHO – Boys and Girls Growth Curve
Unfortunately, many pediatricians still go by the old version of the CDC’s charts, which can lead to confusion if a baby does not appear to be gaining weight accordingly. This may also result in unnecessary supplementation with formula, introducing solids earlier than generally recommended, or, in extreme cases, even the recommendation to stop breastfeeding altogether.
Is Your Child Low on the Baby Weight Chart?
Just because your baby is on the lower end of the scale doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong. Average baby weight is just that—average.
In fact, only half of babies fall between the 25th and 75th percentiles, meaning that half of all babies fall outside of that “normal” range, though they are still perfectly normal!
Paying attention to your unique child’s growth curve is a better indication of health. If baby is at the 25th percentile and then starts going down in percentiles, that may be a concern. If baby is at the 3rd percentile and continues to grow (but stays at the 3rd percentile), there is likely nothing to worry about.
My Baby’s Height Doesn’t Match His Weight
Not every baby will be both short and thin or both tall and chubby. Some are tall and thin; some are short and chubby. This means your baby could be in the 50th percentile for weight and the 12th for height and still be considered perfectly “normal.”
How Much Does the Average Baby Weigh at Birth?
The average baby girl weighs between 5. 1-9.7 pounds at birth, while the average baby boy weighs between 5.1-10.1 pounds at birth.
For girls, the 50th percentile—right in the middle of the pack—would be about 7.1 pounds; for boys, the 50th percentile would be about 7.3 pounds.
How Much Weight Does a Baby Gain in the First Month?
The average breastfed baby will lose about 7 percent of their birth weight in the first three days and the average formula-fed baby will lose 3.5 percent of their birth weight, according to one study. If baby loses more than 10 percent, speak to your pediatrician and see a lactation consultant to make sure baby is getting enough to eat.
Over the course of the next two weeks, baby should gain back any weight lost. According to Dr. Jay Gordon, a pediatrician and author, the average baby gains 4-8 ounces per week in the first month.
What is the Normal Weight for a 3-Month-Old Baby?
The normal weight for a 3-month-old baby girl is between 9. 7-17.2 pounds, while the normal weight for a 3-month-old baby boy is between 10.6-18.3 pounds.
For girls, the 50th percentile—right in the middle of the pack—would be about 12.8 pounds; for boys, the 50th percentile would be about 14.1 pounds.
To better understand if your baby is on track, think of it this way: Most babies will double their birthweight by about 4-5 months of age, and triple it by about 12 months.
My baby is Under 6 Months Old and Not Growing Well. Should I Introduce Solids?
The short answer is no. Solids are not recommended for babies under 6 months of age. The major health organizations, including the World Health Organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Academy of Family Physicians, all agree with this statement.
If a baby this age isn’t growing well, there is often an underlying reason that needs to be addressed, and adding solids won’t fix it alone (and may even cause more damage).
Slow weight gain may happen for many reasons, like:
- Baby isn’t getting enough food
- Baby isn’t absorbing food adequately
- Baby has an especially high metabolism
- Parents are on the smaller side
A doctor who is knowledgeable about the most up-to-date information on baby weight charts and nutrition is an excellent ally when navigating baby weight issues.
What to Do If Your Child is Behind on the Growth Charts?
There are many things you can do to support baby’s growth that are natural and healthy.
Call a lactation consultant
If you’re breastfeeding but baby is not gaining or growing well, that does not necessarily mean you don’t have enough milk. Baby can only eat what he can remove from the breast, and if he has a bad latch or a lip or tongue tie, he can’t remove milk well. Formula may be needed in the short term (because, yes, fed is best), but breastfeeding can almost always work with the right support (and it gets easier too!). A lactation consultant is a great first step to getting back on track.
Test your milk quality
If baby isn’t gaining weight appropriately, consider sending a sample of your milk to the Lactation Lab. This service will analyze your breast milk composition and tell you how much fat is in it. If your breast milk is low in fat, you can boost fat levels by adding alfalfa tablets and borage oil to your diet. You can also add food rich in omega-3s, like salmon, walnuts, and flaxseed.
Better formula
If you do need to supplement, you don’t have to go with a brand that contains questionable ingredients. There are better brands out there and even homemade versions that can help keep baby’s gut health intact and keep him growing well. (Read more about the best formula here.)
Improved nutrition
If your baby is 6-12 months old and not growing well, make sure he gets enough breast milk or formula but also be sure to introduce solids for added nutrition.
Banana, avocado, squash, egg yolks, coconut cream, and even pasture-raised meats are all excellent nutrient-dense foods for baby that will help him head north on the baby weight chart.
Support digestive health
You can also support baby’s digestive health, which can help him absorb nutrition more readily. Breast milk is an excellent way to heal and soothe baby’s gut. Some babies need added probiotics to help them with digestion and absorption of nutrients. (The highest rated infant probiotic on the market can be found here.) You can also add an infant probiotic to baby’s diet directly by placing a drop on your nipple, finger, or pacifier before baby starts suckling. (Learn more about baby probiotics here.) In addition, you can offer fermented foods (beet kvass is easy, because it’s in liquid form) as well as prebiotic foods, like under-ripe bananas, to babies over 6 months old to feed the good bacteria.
Try baby massage
Many studies also link infant massage with healthy weight gain. In fact, in one study, premature babies who received a massage gained 47 percent more weight than premature babies who did not receive massage. In another study, newborns who were massaged not only gained more weight per day, but also appeared more aware and had increased motor skills.
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Baby Weight Chart: Bottom Line
Just like a snowflake, every baby is different. As long as your baby is growing steadily along his own curve, there is usually nothing to worry about. But when you do need help, rest assured—there are simple, natural things you can do to support baby’s body in growing big, strong and healthy.
Weight and height of a child by months up to a year | Table of weight norms for babies up to a year
A young mother often worries about whether her baby is developing correctly. And the weight of the child is one of the “sick” questions that often comes up on the playground.
Undoubtedly, how much a newborn is gaining weight is really important to know. But remember that the height and weight of the child are individual indicators. And they may not always fit into beautiful statistics. Although the approximate norm for the weight of a newborn is calculated based on general values. Doctors who carry out regular weighing of a newborn also have their own guidelines.
The table below shows the height and weight of the newborn by month. The figures take into account statistical data and recommendations of pediatricians (the discrepancy, by the way, is only 3%).
Child's age, months | Boy, weight, g | Boy, height, cm | Girl, weight, g | Girl, height, cm |
---|---|---|---|---|
Newborn | 3 600 | 50 | 3400 | 49.5 |
1 month | 4 450 | 54.5 | 4 150 | 53. 5 |
2 month | 5 250 | 58 | 4 900 | 56.8 |
3 month | 6050 | 61 | 5 500 | 59.3 |
4 month | 6 700 | 63 | 6 150 | 61.5 |
5 month | 7 300 | 65 | 6 650 | 63.4 |
6 month | 7 900 | 67 | 7 200 | 65.3 |
7 month | 8 400 | 68.7 | 7 700 | 66. 9 |
8 month | 8 850 | 70.3 | 8 100 | 68.4 |
9 month | 9 250 | 71.7 | 8 500 | 70 |
10 month | 9 650 | 73 | 8 850 | 71.3 |
11 month | 10,000 | 74.3 | 9 200 | 72.6 |
12 month | 10 300 | 75.5 | 9 500 | 73.8 |
To use the table, you should know how to weigh a newborn correctly. Before turning on the scales, you need to remove all foreign objects from the bowl, otherwise you will get distorted data. Although you can leave a diaper on it and then press the "Tara" button to reset the result. It is necessary to put the baby in the scales at rest in order to fix the exact numbers, which can then be compared with the “ideal”.
Modern electronic scales for weighing newborns are proactive. A smart device “knows” the weight of a healthy baby in advance and compares the norm with the result. Just wait a few seconds and you will see the result. Home scales with a built-in height meter will allow you to control the physical development of your baby without visiting the clinic.
Remember that the proper weight of the child is growing in dynamics. You can follow this indicator through a mobile application that collects the results of each weigh-in.
Tables of weight and height of the child by months and by years. For boys and for girls.
The height and weight of a child are the main indicators of his physical development. That is why immediately after the birth of the baby, it is imperative to measure the weight of his body and the length of the body and continue to weigh himself daily at the same time until discharge from the hospital.
There are many factors that affect the physical development of a child, for example:0198
How to understand what is the norm?
The All-Russian Health Organization recommended special tables for matching the height and weight of children, or as they are called, centile tables. At each examination, the pediatrician measures the height and weight of the child, compares the obtained values \u200b\u200bwith the standard indicators. Such tables allow you to identify obvious pathologies, for a more accurate analysis, the doctor calculates additional indicators using special formulas.
Infant weight and height chart by months (up to 1 year)
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Table of weight and height of the child by years (from 1 to 18 years old)
The table shows the average values of height and weight child by years aged 1 to 18 for boys and girls.
Deviations of weight or height from tabular values
There is no need to panic if there is a minimal discrepancy with the indicated values in the table, and here's why:
- First of all, the child's height and weight charts contain reference indicators , what should ideally be the weight and height of the child, without taking into account many other factors . Sometimes parents of premature babies mistakenly use a standard table for comparison, while there are special tables for assessing the development of children born prematurely.
- The rate of growth and weight gain for each child is unique . In the first year of life, babies develop in leaps and bounds. For example, during the period of introducing complementary foods, the weight of the baby may not reach the “norm” due to adaptation to a new type of food, and not because of pathology.
This does not mean that deviations from the norm should be ignored , but it is better to regard them as an occasion to pay attention and consult a specialist in order to identify possible health problems, or to make sure that they are not present.
What can cause obvious deviations from the norm?
Earlier we talked about minor deviations from the norm and that there is no need to be scared if your child is not growing and gaining weight strictly according to the chart. But what to do if the values of the essential have gone beyond the limits of the permissible parameters , or are they at the intersection of norm and pathology?
Reasons for possible deviations can be divided into two groups:
1. Non-endocrine:
- Constitutional growth retardation . Or in another way, the syndrome of late puberty. One of the variants of the norm, when the puberty jump occurs later than in other children.
- Familial short stature . It has a hereditary predisposition, in the family of such children there are relatives with short stature. Growth retardation manifests itself from early childhood.
- Prematurity, intrauterine and postnatal injuries.
- Genetic syndromes . As a rule, they have many clinical manifestations, one of which is growth retardation.
- Chronic diseases of the cardiovascular, bronchopulmonary systems, gastrointestinal tract, as well as anemia.
- Fasting .
- Certain medications .
2. Endocrine:
- Growth hormone deficiency . Biologically active substance, which is the main regulator of the growth process after 2 years.
- Deficiency of thyroid hormones . More often of a congenital nature, it is clinically characterized by a delay in physical and intellectual development from birth.
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus . A disease in which, due to insulin deficiency, the flow of glucose into the cells of the body is impaired, the so-called. "starvation" of cells, as a result, growth rates slow down.
- Itsenko-Cushing's disease (or syndrome) . At the same time, the production of hormones of the adrenal cortex, glucocorticoids, is increased, which in large doses leads to a violation of the secretion of growth hormone.
- Rickets .