Growth charts are tools your pediatrician may 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 children of the same age and sex. This means the doctor will be able to tell you what percentile your infant is in when compared to averages for babies around the nation. For instance, if your doctor tells you your 4-month-old is in the 86th percentile for weight, that means 86 percent of the four-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 so factors that come into play when determining where your baby’s statistics will fall in the percentile chart. It is vital to remember that no two babies are the same and that every child, due to body chemistry, heredity, diet, and many other issues will develop 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 simply guides for a doctor to assist in assessing your baby’s growth.

In addition to the measurements that your pediatrician will take during regularly scheduled doctor visits, you may also wish to track your baby’s growth at home. Bear 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 give some degree of insight into your infant’s growth and many new parents have found it to be a fascinating way to participate in the parenting process.

Here are a few tips that can assist you, as curious parents, track your child’s growth at home.

If baby is too small to stand upright on the scale, you can try using this procedure:
* With your child 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 child 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 child. The resulting number is your child’s weight.

To measure your child’s length all you need to do is lay her down on a flat surface (the 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 child’s head. You should wrap the measuring tape just above your child’s eyebrows, so the tape falls right at the top of the ears. What you are trying to measure is the point around their head that has the largest circumference.

When taking your child to the doctor your pediatrician will take more accurate measurements. Pediatricians do the “child 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 might result in an inaccurate measurement and they have extremely accurate measuring devices made specifically for the purpose of measuring the characteristics of babies, such as proper child scales equipped with cradles. Your doctor will very likely take measurements several times during a visit and average the results to ensure accuracy and to compensate for any discrepancies that may arise.

When the time comes to potty train your child make sure you get it right first time by following a proven potty training program. And remember, there is no set age at which a child is ready to be potty trained.
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