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The first months of life are a period of very intensive development of the child, in which, during each examination, the height is controlled, among other things, which is one of the parameters determining the proper development of the baby. What is normal growth? How to correctly measure and what factors influence the child’s growth?
What is normal baby growth?
The proper development of the child is monitored during the fetal life. Growth is monitored at every ultrasound scan and at every medical visit after the baby is born. The first height measurement after birth is made with a flexible tape measure. The distances between the parts of the baby’s body are checked one by one, due to the fact that newborns have curled legs that should not be forcefully straightened. The correct height of a newborn baby should be between 46 and 55 cm, with boys usually being 5-6% bigger than girls. A child’s growth rate is very individual, but it is assumed that an infant should grow to approximately 25 centimeters in the first year of his life.
How to correctly measure a child’s height?
To check the correct growth of a child in the first year of life, the so-called percentile grids that allow you to determine if your baby is developing properly. The percentile grid consists of two axes: vertical and horizontal, one of which marks the child’s age, the other – his height. The percentile grid also contains several curved lines labeled with numbers 3, 10, 25, 50, 75, 90, 97, i.e. percentiles. The percentile grids are located at the end of the child’s health booklet, where the doctor marks the course of the child’s growth at each visit, checking that it is within the normal range between the 3rd and 97th percentile lines. The result from the percentile grid, showing the systematic growth of the child, will testify to the proper development of our child.
What factors influence a child’s growth in the first year of life?
The growth of a child in the first year of life is very individual. Often, parents compare their child’s height to that of their peers. Keep in mind that there is no perfect newborn and the numbers provided in the growth charts are indicative only. The key factors determining a child’s growth are genetics. A child’s height may depend on the height of his parents. The other factors beyond our control may also be influenced by the sex of the child. Most often, girls are shorter than boys and smaller. Another factor may be whether the baby was born on time and whether it was a twin or multiple pregnancy. It is very common for premature babies and twins to be smaller and smaller. The proper nutrition of the child has an influence on the correct growth of a child in the first year of life. The diet in the first years of a child’s life should be balanced and properly balanced in terms of the content of proteins, carbohydrate components and fats. You should remember to give your child vitamin D, which contributes to the proper growth and the appropriate amount and quality of sleep.