How to Tell If Your Baby Is Smaller Than Average

It's natural for new parents to worry about their baby's development -- everything from eating to sleeping to growing. Every day brings a new issue you might feel anxious about. When it comes to the size of your baby, try not to get too hung up on it. If your little one is meeting all her milestones, it's no big deal if she is smaller than average.

Instructions

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      Consider your baby's weight at birth. If she was below-average weight when she was born, she may still be smaller than average. According to Heidi Murkoff, author of bestselling pregnancy book "What to Expect When You're Expecting," 95 percent of babies weigh between 5.5 and 10 pounds at birth, and the average baby weighs 7.5 pounds. Monitor your baby's weight and development at her post-birth checkups with your pediatrician. Most babies are weighed a week after birth and again a week later, says the American Pregnancy Association. Your doctor may arrange additional weight monitoring if there is cause for concern.

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      Consult the birth-to-24-month child growth charts from the World Health Organization. These charts are recommended to medical professionals by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Charts are available for both boys and girls, to measure percentiles for weight-for-length, head circumference-for-age, length-for-age and weight-for-age. For example, if your 6-month-old baby boy is 26 inches long, he is in the 25th percentile on the length-for-age chart. This means that 25 percent of 6-month-old boys are the same length or measure smaller than your baby and 75 percent measure longer. If he weighs 20 pounds, he is in the 50th percentile on the weight-for-age chart. This means he is right in the middle of the chart and is average weight for 6-month-old baby boys.

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      Make an appointment with your pediatrician if you are worried about your baby's development. Your doctor will be able to address any specific concerns you have, which should put your mind at ease. A low percentile rating itself does not indicate any health problems with your baby, provided she is growing at a steady rate. Minor drops in your baby's percentile are common and not normally a cause for concern. They may be due to an illness or a change in eating habits.

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