Baby Weight Chart | How Much Should My Baby Weigh?

Keep track of your little one’s growth with a helpful baby weight chart and guide!

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In this article:

Determining Normal Baby Weight
Don’t Panic Over Scale Readings
Baby Weight Chart: Possible Healthy Weights for Babies
How to Help Baby Gain Weight

Month-By-Month Baby Weight Infographic

Determining Normal Baby Weight

As a new mother-to-be, it’s helpful to seek your doctor’s advice on what food to eat to gain weight while pregnant, or you can study a baby weight chart to gain a better understanding of how much your baby should weigh. Baby weight is one of the common things new parents worry about.

Your baby’s weight chart will also help your pediatrician determine your little one’s growth from birth. It can also be used to find out if he or she is within the baby weight percentile.

Don’t worry, your pediatrician will be on top of this and will recommend wholesome weight-gain food for newborns if your baby needs it. Of course, your baby’s age will also be taken into consideration.

Don’t Panic Over Scale Readings

Weight gain during pregnancy is tied to the birth weight of the new baby. https://t.co/F0uRnClVEt
— Science News (@ScienceNews) March 3, 2018

First rule: the baby weight chart is only a guide.

Many variables can influence the actual pounds you’ll see on the baby scale. These include whether your baby is a boy or girl, as well as mom’s and dad’s height and build.

Among other factors are whether this is your first child and if you have a premature baby. Of course, twins and other multiples tend to weigh less than “singleton” newborns.

The mother’s health during pregnancy is also a factor of a baby’s weight and height, as are her food choices during that time. Whatever the mother experiences as the baby grows inside her, her little one will be affected as well. Health problems in the baby can affect both newborn weight and later readings.

Baby Weight Chart: Possible Healthy Weights for Babies

In addition to providing life-saving nourishment while an infant is in the hospital, donor milk also has the potential to provide benefits after baby goes home, says #UofTMed Prof Sharon Unger @TorontoStar #UofTDrNotes https://t.co/Cv8yMxcQ06
— Temerty Medicine (@uoftmedicine) March 13, 2018

Do you know the average weight of a baby at birth? When your baby is born, the healthy birth weight can be as low as 5.1 pounds for boys and girls and 10.1 and 9.7 for boys and girls, respectively.

Keep in mind that babies can thrive even when falling below or above these averages. In general, the 5- to 10-pound range is the target birth weight for optimal baby health.

In the United States, the baby weight chart shows a typical newborn weighs 7.5 pounds.

1. Healthy Baby Weight from 1 to 3 Months

For female infants, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates babies must weigh between 6.6 to 12.6 pounds at 1 month; 8.4 to 15.2 pounds at 2 months, and 9.7 to 17.2 pounds at 3 months of age.

WHO notes healthy weight for male infants is 7.1 to 13.2 pounds at 1 month, 9 to 16.3 pounds at 2 months, and 10.6 to 18.3 pounds at 3 months of age.

2. Healthy Baby Weight at 6 Months

By the age of 6 months, the baby weight chart may highlight the influence of babies’ gender, ethnic heritage, length, and bone structure. Healthy weights can vary even more than in the prior six months.

For a girl, the average baby weight by month 6 can run from 12.1 to 21.4 pounds, according to the WHO statistics. Boys weight can range from 13.5 to 22.5 pounds and still be within the healthy range.

3. Healthy Baby Weight at 9 Months

What is considered the average weight for babies by month 9 varies by more than 10 pounds for both male and female babies, according to the WHO statistics.

The range for girls is 13.7 to 24.3 pounds. The average baby weight by month 9 for boys is pegged at between 15.2 to 25.1 pounds, going by WHO statistics.

4. Healthy Baby Weight at 12 Months

It’s time to party! By the baby’s first birthday, what is considered healthy on a baby weight chart continues to increase in range.

Girls may weigh anywhere from 15 to 26.5 pounds and still be in the healthy weight-gain range. The healthy range for boys can be anywhere be 16.5 to 27.3 pounds.

How to Help Baby Gain Weight

Even with the broad range that defines healthy weights for various infant ages, there may be times when you and your doctor become concerned about your baby’s current size. Changing what they eat and drink can often make a big difference. Discuss with your pediatrician how to help your little one in gaining weight.

It may take weeks for your baby to gain weight so don’t worry. Consider some factors when your baby’s not gaining weight according to the baby weight chart.

Is your baby nursing? It’s possible they need an extra feeding or two during the day or to have more time during breastfeeding sessions to increase mother’s milk intake.

Formula-fed babies may have a different growth spurt compared to breast-fed ones. When it’s time to add solid food to the diet, consider the ones that are dense in both nutrients and calories.

Good food options for gaining weight include avocado, pureed liver, mashed vegetables, and salmon. Fermented or probiotic-enriched foods like yogurt and beet kvass can help with digestive issues. Under-ripe bananas, which provide prebiotic benefits, may also help.

What Is Beet Kvass? It’s a traditional drink containing enzymes and probiotic. Many refer to it as a healing tonic since it can give an energy boost, improve liver function, and clean the blood.

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Remember, you should not be too dependent on the baby weight chart. It’s only a guide, and the actual results can vary.

Your doctor can help you ease your worries. If the baby is underweight, there are many possible causes. Allergens, digestive problems, and other issues may be affecting it. The pediatrician can suggest the best course of action, including the types of food to feed.

Do you have other tips on how you let your baby gain weight? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March 2018 and has been updated for quality and relevancy.