Recommended Baby Weight Chart

At my 20 weeks detailed scan, the sonographer gave me a shock by telling me there were a few things she needed to "double check" with a more senior and experienced sonographer. Apparently, my baby's thigh bone length and abdominal width is way higher than average. In fact, when the experienced sonographer came in to check, her re-scan yielded even larger figures that were off the charts. They then decided to take the original, smaller number that would at least fit within the regular charts at ~95th percentile. Talk about trying to make us first time parents feel a little better.

During the review of the results with my gynae thereafter, she was not too concerned with the thigh length being long, as both my husband and I are considered tall for Asians (and myself even tall amongst some caucasian ladies). However, abdominal width was a small concern, because big babies tend to be more difficult to deliver naturally. Her comforting words were that "at least the head is of average size, because the head is of a fixed size, if it is too big, it cannot be pushed out easily. As for a big tummy, since it is slightly flexible / malleable, you can do it with just a slightly harder push". Also, this being only a 20th week scan, there was still alot of time for "weight correction". Furthermore, at only 360g (average is ~200-300g), my baby was actually just 60g "overweight". Which isn't too big a number actually. If, at 37 weeks he was still just 60g "overweight", that was just within standard error of the machine's calculations. So, conclusion was, it's not the end of the world.

With the sonographers' and gynae's reassurances, my hubby and I returned home with a calm heart but strong resolution to stop all excessive tonics I had been given from the start of the pregnancy. I also decided to check websites for a comprehensive table so I could continue to track the progress of my little one as he grows in the next couple of months. After some searching, to my dismay, there were either a lack of measurements in metric units, or differed largely in recommended weight/length to gestational age. Hence, I decided to compile my own table, pooling together various resources and doing my own calculations, so that I can see both weight and length on any preferred measurement unit of choice in a single table. I also added an additional column to the right to suggest how that length equates to, so that it is easier to imagine how the LO looks in terms of size. (I really loved doing that... every week I would update my husband by saying "He's a little Mango now!" And that association really helps us to connect the numbers to something we see on a daily basis)

One note about the table though, since it is compiled from websites that do not really cater specifically to either the caucasian or asian population, it may be neither here nor there. Measurements and estimations also vary according to gynaes and clinics, because different machines use different formula to calculate weight, so there can be a systematic bias. Just take it as a point of reference. For example, although my baby has since become "average weight" according to my gynae, he has always appeared to be ~1-2 weeks faster if I compared his weight to the table below. As long as the growth remains consistent (i.e. progress 2 weeks in 2 weeks, not gain weight equivalent to 4 weeks in 1 week), then I believe you will be fine :)