Weight & Height Expectations

Growth charts are tools your pediatrician can use to keep track of your
child's physical growth. During each checkup, the doctor will measure your
baby’s length, weight, and head circumference. The doctor can then compare
the measurements for your baby to a chart of national averages for infants of
the same age and sex. The result is that the doctor will be able to tell you
what percentile your baby is in when compared to averages for babies around
the nation. For example, if your doctor tells you your 4-month-old is in the
86th percentile for weight, that means 86 percent of the two-month-olds in
your country weigh less, and that 14 percent weigh more. A baby that is at the
50th percentile in either height or weight is right at the national average.
Typically, parents seem to worry quite a bit about these percentages,
and that worrying is usually needlessly blown out of proportion. There are
many factors that come into play when determining where your baby’s
statistics will fall in the percentile chart. It is very important to remember
that no two babies are the same and that every child, due to body chemistry,
heredity, diet, and many other factors will grow at their own pace. Some
babies will have growth spurts right from the start and others will take a bit
longer to begin major growth periods. These measurements, charts, and
percentile points are merely guides for a doctor to help in assessing your baby’s
growth.
In addition to the measurements that your pediatrician will take during
regularly scheduled doctor visits, you may also want to track your baby’s
growth at home. Keep in mind that the measurements you take at home may
or may not be as accurate as the measurements your doctor takes, but they
can provide a certain degree of insight into the growth of your baby and many
new parents have found it to be a fascinating way to participate in the
parenting process.
Here are some tips that can help you, as inquisitive parents, track your
baby’s growth at home using commercially available scales and other
measuring devices.
If baby is too small to stand upright on the scale, you can try using this
procedure:
• With your baby in your arms, step onto a standard bathroom
scale.
• Make note of the weight displayed on the scale and write it down
on a piece of paper.
• Put your baby down and step onto the scale alone this time.
• Make note of the weight displayed and subtract this number from
the combined weight of you and your baby. The resulting number
is your baby’s weight.
To measure your baby’s length all you need to do is lay her down on a
flat surface (her changing table is a great place for this task) and stretch a
measuring tape from head to toes.
For the measuring of head circumference all you need to do is wrap the
measuring tape around your baby’s head. You should wrap the measuring tape
just above your baby’s eyebrows, so the tape falls right at the top of the ears.
What you are trying to measure is the point around his head that has the
largest circumference.
When taking your baby to the doctor your pediatrician will perform
more accurate measurements. Pediatricians do the “baby measuring thing” on
a daily basis and will be able to achieve a much more accurate result than you
will at home. This is due to the fact that they are accustomed to the things
babies do that can result in an inaccurate measurement and they have very
accurate measuring tools made specifically for the purpose of measuring the
characteristics of babies, such as proper baby scales equipped with cradles.
Your doctor will most likely take measurements several times during one visit
and average the results together to ensure accuracy and to compensate for any
discrepancies that may arise. It is crucial for the doctor’s measurements to be
as accurate as possible because a discrepancy of as little as a few millimeters
in length or a few grams in weight can make a difference where your baby falls
on the charts. Since the results of these measurements may determine
changes to your baby’s diet, and other possible changes to how your baby is fed
and treated during her first year, it is important that these results are as
accurate as possible.
Your pediatrician will measure the following characteristics of your
baby:
Weight: After calibrating the scale the doctor or nurse will place your
completely naked baby on a baby scale. There are electronic and traditional
beam-type versions of the baby scale, but most will typically have the same
type of baby holding stainless steel cradle. After your child is able to stand on
her own, your pediatrician will most likely use a standard upright scale.
Length: Like weighing, until your baby is able to stand up on his own,
your doctor will perform the height/length measurements with your baby lying
down. Your doctor may use a tape measure, much like you use at home, or
may utilize a special “baby-measuring device”, which consists of a headboard
and movable footboard to obtain the most accurate results possible.
Head circumference: This measurement will be taken in almost the same
way you did at home. The doctor will take the measurement at the point
where the head is at its largest circumference, right above the ears and around
to the back of the head where the neck meets the cranium. Usually the
pediatrician will record this measurement to the nearest 0.3 cm (1/8th of an
inch).
The head is different from other parts of the body in that the brain is
not fully formed at the time of birth and therefore the head will continue to
grow during baby’s first year. Baby’s head is a particular point of concern for
the doctor because a head that is growing too rapidly can be a sign of
hydrocephalus (water on the brain) and a head that is growing too slowly can
be indicative of nutritional or developmental problems. Regardless, you
shouldn’t be too concerned if your baby’s head appears a bit disproportional
compared to the rest of her body, as this is completely normal for the first
year of life.

Milk To Solids

One of the more complex questions that you will ask yourself during your
baby’s first year is: What do I feed her? And when do I feed it? Your baby
starts out with the simple requirement of either breast milk or formula. But
what happens after the milk? This chapter will help you learn what types of
foods to introduce into your baby’s diet at a certain stage of her development.
The information here should only be a guideline. Your doctor may provide you
with other advise and your baby may have ideas of her own.
For the first four to six months of your baby’s first year all she will need
is breast milk or formula. During this time she should start to be introduced to
solids when she is ready. It is important to know that not all babies will be
ready for solids at the same time. So how do you know when she’s ready?
There are a few simple guidelines that you can follow that will give you the
information that you need to start your baby on solid food. You should check
with your doctor as well for his/her professional advice. Here are the
guidelines for clues as to whether your baby is ready for solids or not:
• Your baby has doubled her birth weight.
• Your baby shows an interest in the foods that you are eating and may try
to grab the food from you.
• Your baby consumes 32 oz or more each day of breast milk or formula.
• Your baby often puts things into her mouth.
• Your baby can sit up with some support and can turn her head when she
is full.
If your baby can do all of the above she is probably ready to be
introduced to solid foods. Another indicating factor is that your baby always
seems to be hungry. You do not want to introduce solids too early into your
baby’s diet. If solids are introduced too early there is an increased risk that
she will develop a food allergy. Another reason for waiting for four to six
months before introducing solids is because your baby needs to be able to
properly chew and swallow before she can start eating food safely. Your
baby’s digestive system has to mature a bit so that she can handle the new
foods in her diet.
The first six months. During the first six months of your baby’s life
breast milk or formula will be all that she needs for nourishment. If you are
breastfeeding you will be using cues from your baby as to when she is full or
hungry. If you are using formula you will likely have been following the
guidelines for how much formula to feed your baby, as well as taking cues from
your baby as to when she is full and when she is hungry. The following chart is
a guideline for formula feeding:


GUIDE FOR FORMULA FEEDING (AGE 0 to 5 MONTHS)

Age	Amount per feeding	Number of feedings per 24 hours
1 month	2 to 4 ounces	6 to 8 times
2 months	5 to 6 ounces	6 to 8 times
3 to 5 months	6 to 7 ounces	5 to 6 times

A note on giving up night feedings: By the time your baby is six months
old you will want to think about giving up those night feedings if you haven’t
already done so. You should start by offering your baby less and less breast
milk or formula during night feedings. Eventually she will stop waking as her
body adjusts to not eating during the night. If you are bottle-feeding you can
substitute water in your baby’s bottle in place of milk or formula. Your baby is
almost ready to start eating solids and once she does she shouldn’t be as
hungry at night.
Four to six months: Introduction to solid food. You should try to wait
until your baby is at least four months old before introducing her to anything
other than breast milk or formula. You should start by offering your baby tiny
amounts of baby cereal thinned with breast milk or formula. You can introduce
your baby to fruit juices that are thinned with water. You may want to hold
off introducing orange juice for another month or two since orange juice may
be too acidic.
Six to seven months: Adding fruits and vegetables. Once your baby has
been introduced to cereal you will want to add mashed/strained fruits and
vegetables. Start with small amounts (one teaspoonful), increasing gradually
as your baby gets used to the new food. You should only introduce one new
food at a time and wait 2 to 4 days before introducing something new. This is
so that if your baby has an allergic reaction you will be able to pinpoint which
food is the culprit.
Make mealtime a happy time with your baby. Make sure that you only
put milk or water into baby bottles and juice into a cup or glass. Putting juice
into your baby’s bottle can lead to dental problems later down the road due to
the sugar content of juices.
Seven to eight months: Adding protein. From seven to eight months
you will want to think about adding protein foods to your baby’s diet. Protein
foods include strained meats, cottage cheese, egg yolk, yogurt, and dried
beans. As with the fruits and vegetables, you will want to introduce one new
food at a time and wait 2 to 4 days before introducing a new food, starting
with a small helping (one teaspoonful) and gradually increasing.
Eight to twelve months: Adding other foods. By now your baby will be
ready to start eating what the rest of the family is eating. Start by adding soft
table foods to your baby’s diet such as mashed potatoes, squash, soft meats,
and soups. As your baby gets more teeth she will be able to add more foods to
her diet.
There are some things that you should keep in mind as your baby tries
more and more types of foods.
1. Your baby does not need to have sugar, salt, desserts, pop, or sweets in
her food.
2. Talk to your doctor about the right time to add pasteurized cow’s milk
into your baby’s diet.
3. Avoid feeding your baby nuts, seeds, popcorn, raw carrots, and other
hard foods.
4. Be sure to feed your baby a variety of good, healthy food so that you are
promoting healthy eating habits.
5. It is very important to let your baby feed herself. As messy as this
process may get it is a very important step towards your baby’s
independence and motor skills.
As you gradually introduce your baby to food during the first year you
should keep in mind that every baby is different and therefore the process of
integrating solid food may or may not follow the “usual” course of action. You
will find that your baby soon has her favorite foods that she looks forward to
eating as well as food that she will refuse to eat. Try to listen to what your
baby is telling you while remaining within the guidelines outlined here.

Using Music to Calm Your Baby

Music is a wonderful way for you to calm and soothe your baby,
especially during the first year. How many times have your heard parents say
that there was nothing that they could do with their crying, fussing baby until
they tried music. This is because music does indeed soothe the savage beast,
or in this case, the baby.
There are certain distinct sounds that have been proven to calm even
fussy babies: the sounds of nature, white noise, and music. Even if your baby
isn’t fussing or crying you may want to use music as often as you can to
encourage that feeling of calm and peacefulness. All it takes is a few minutes
every day and before you know it your baby will be looking forward to hearing
that certain song emanating from the CD player.
There is nothing complicated or mysterious about introducing your baby
to music from day one. You don’t need to search for the perfect song or a
certain type of music. All you have to do is start by having your baby listen to
your favorite songs and music. If jazz is on the top of your list, let your baby
listen to the sounds of John Coltrane as he sits in his baby seat watching you in
the kitchen. It doesn’t matter if you play the schmaltzy songs of the eighties
or some wicked African beat, your baby is going to listen and his mood is going
to be altered by any musical sound that he hears.
Besides the music that you yourself can introduce your baby to, there
are hundreds of CDs on the market today that are filled with baby songs and
lullabies. At the end of the day you may want to play a CD of quiet baby songs
that have a slower beat. There are so many CDs for you to choose from that
you will have a hard time making up your mind. Choose something that
interests you. Many baby CDs will have lullabies and faster beat songs on the
same CD.
Playing music has other benefits besides soothing your fussy, crying
baby. These benefits include:
• Babies are introduced to musical sounds.
• Music enhances your baby’s behavior and cognitive skills.
• Relieves stress for the entire family.
• Will stimulate curiosity and an interest in music.
Take time to find a variety of music CDs for your baby to listen to.
You’ll soon notice which music your baby is most drawn to and can use that
music when he is particularly fussy or is crying.

Sleeping and Lullaby Secrets

When it comes to babies and sleep everyone will have an opinion for you
that they are sure will be the answer to your sleepless nights. This is one of
those times that you will have to be firm and make your own decisions about
what type of sleeping routine and schedule you are going to have. There are
baby experts out there who will tell you that you should never let your baby
cry as he is trying to fall asleep. The next expert will tell you that you should
never give in to your crying baby once you have put him to bed. Which method
is right and which is wrong? It all depends on your needs and the needs of your
baby. The guidelines in this chapter on sleep are simply that: a variety of tips
and ideas that you either can or cannot attempt to incorporate into your
bedtime routine.
Before you make the decision about what to do with that baby that
won’t sleep is where is that baby sleeping. Some parents insist that your baby
sleep in his own crib in his own room. Still other parents want their baby in
their bedroom. Neither is right or wrong and there are advantages to both. If
your baby sleeps in her room you will likely get more rest for yourself since you
won’t be disturbed by the snufflings and other sleeping noises that newborn
babies make. Your baby may wake less often if she is in her own room but this
is not always the case. If your baby is sleeping in the same room as you are,
you might find it less disturbing and easy to be able to attend to your baby’s
needs right there. If you not only have your baby in the same room as you but
also in the same bed, you should be aware of some of the dangers of sleeping
in the same bed together. Baby experts are completely divided over the issue
of sharing the same bed with your baby. You will have to research the safety
versus the emotional issues and decide for yourself if you are going to be
bringing your baby into bed with you.
You will likely need more sleep than your new baby. New babies most
often are not able to sleep through the night until they have at least doubled
their weight. This usually happens when your baby is between four and five
months old. The following table shows the amount of sleep that babies should
be getting. Keep in mind that this is just a guideline and don’t be discouraged
if your baby doesn’t fall within the norm.
Age Total Hours of Sleep Needed Per Day (including naps)
1-15 days 16-22
3 weeks 16-18
6 weeks 15-16
4-6 months 14-16
9 months 13-16
1 year 12-15
Once you have decided how you are going to handle where your baby
sleeps and just how much sleep the charts say she should have, you will want
to think about getting into some sort of a routine whether or not she is going to
sleep any better because of it or not. A sleep routine can be a soothing and
comforting part of your baby’s nighttime ritual. It is a way for you and your
family to incorporate sleep into the daily routine without it becoming a battle
of mind over baby. As your baby grows she will understand that bedtime comes
after bath time and may start to settle down if she is comforted by the
bedtime routine.
There are many ways that you can establish the bedtime routine. Here
are some tips and ideas for bedtime routines that you might want to consider:
1. Start the bedtime routine with a bath, some cuddle time, a song or
story, a feeding, more cuddling, and then bed.
2. Sing a soothing lullaby just before you put your baby to bed.
3. Try to do things in the same order, with the same people involved, at
that same time each night so that you create a pattern that your baby
will recognize as a pre-sleep routine.
4. Make sure the lights are low and dim. You want to make your baby
recognize that when it’s dark, it’s time to sleep.
5. Make sure that whatever routine you set up for you and your baby that
there is a finality to it at the end. Your baby should learn that when you
put him into bed, no matter how pleasant the bedtime routine has been,
that it’s time to sleep. Give him some time to fuss.
Number five in the above list is a very important point to remember
when it comes to establishing your bedtime routine. If you cuddle your baby,
lay down with him, or sing to him one more time after you have put him to
bed, he will come to expect that anytime he isn’t ready for sleep all he has to
do is fuss and the pleasure of being rocked will be his again. You are not trying
to play a game of control with him or deny him your affection after he has
been put into bed. After all, it’s normal for him to want to be with you. What
you are trying to do is make him understand that after the bedtime routine is
complete, it is time to sleep.
A quick note on nighttime feedings, which will be further discussed in
the chapter entitled From Milk to Solids. If you are feeding your baby during
the night you won’t be able to establish that bedtime routine. If your baby
needs to have a feeding at night you may have to delay a good sleeping pattern
until he is ready to stop feeding during the night. Most babies stop feeding
during the night around five to six months.
Lullabies. Still on the subject of sleep, but on the more entertaining
side: Lullabies. Using music to lull and soothe your baby to sleep can be an
enjoyable experience for both of you. More about music in the next chapter
entitled Using Music to Calm Your Baby.
The Lullaby, or Cradle Song, has been around for centuries. Whether
you are singing Brahm’s Lullaby or stumbling through a tune from Sesame
Street, what matters is that you are using the power of music and your voice to
communicate with your baby. Singing a lullaby at some point during baby’s
nighttime routine will settle him down and prepare him of the stillness of
sleep.
There is so much more that can be covered under the “sleep” topic
when it comes to your baby. You will have to establish your own nighttime
rules by trial and error. As your baby grows older you will find that his sleep
patterns are constantly changing. What you will have established with the use
of baths and lullabies are certain characteristics that can be adapted to
whatever nighttime routine you come up with to fit to your baby’s age and
needs. With a lot of patience and love you will able to make it through the
ever-changing world of baby’s sleep.

Postpartum Depression

Determine if you are suffering from a condition called postpartum depression.
Symptoms of postpartum depression include:

• Overwhelming feelings of sadness and depression accompanied by
crying.
• Having little or no energy.
• Feelings of guilt and worthlessness.
• Having no interest in your baby or being overly concerned and worried
about your baby.
• Weight gain accompanied with overeating.
• Weight loss accompanied by not eating.
• Feeling afraid of hurting yourself or your baby.
• Insomnia.
• Oversleeping.
During the first few days at home your family will be adjusting to the
additional member of your family. If you have other children at home you may
be dealing with feelings of jealousy as the new baby takes center stage. Make
sure that you include your other children in the day-to-day activities that are
part of the new baby’s routine. Let older children help with diaper changing,
feeding, and just sitting and holding the new baby if they are old enough to do
so.

Baby First Days

Baby First Days

The first few days home from the hospital are just as important to you as
they are to your baby. As new parents you will have gone through an exciting
birth that will have left you breathless and exhilarated. As a new mother you
will be emotionally and physically exhausted. As a new father you will be
overwhelmed by your new responsibilities. The first days at home are a time
to take a deep breath, sit back and relax, and take some time just for you.

During your first days at home it may be wise to limit the amount of
visitors that you welcome into your home. Other than your immediate family
and good friends you might want to ask other friends to wait a week or two
before they descend on you with gifts and wanting to hold the new baby. You
need time to recuperate and settle into the routine that a sleeping, feeding,
and often crying baby brings into your life.

As a new mother you will need to pay particular attention to the way
that you are feeling so that those "baby blues" don't creep up and surprise you
unexpectedly. It is normal to feel a bit out of sorts and sad for the first couple
of weeks after giving birth. Your body is going through some major physical
changes after the birth of your baby. Your hormones will be changing and you
likely will be feeling a lack of sleep. All of this can affect the way that you
feel. You should be patient with yourself, understand that all these feelings
are normal, and that in a couple of weeks things will feel better for you. If you
find that you are feeling more and more depressed, and find it difficult to care
for yourself and your family, you should consult your doctor so that he/she can