Our growth percentile calculator shows how your baby's size compares with other boys or girls the same age. Just enter your child's weight, height (aka length), and head circumference, and we'll calculate a percentile for each.
Using our baby growth chart
When your baby is first born, you'll have several visits at your pediatrician's office to make sure your little one’s growth is on track. Your pediatrician will plot your baby's weight, height, and head circumference on a growth chart.
A baby growth chart helps you and your pediatrician keep track of how your baby's growing. Consistent growth is a sign that your baby is healthy.
Don't be concerned if your child doesn't fall right in the middle of the growth chart, though. There's a wide range of normal, and your baby's measurements now don't necessarily reflect what size they'll be as an adult.
Percentiles show how your child's weight, height, and head circumference compare to other children who are the same age and sex. For example, if your child's weight is in the 20th percentile, they weigh more than 20 percent of children their age and sex.
It's normal for some children to be in the 10th percentile for weight, while others are in the 90th percentile. The most important thing is that your baby is growing at a healthy and consistent rate, no matter what percentile they're in.
Our growth percentile calculator is an educational tool only. It's not the last word on how your child is growing, and it's not a substitute for having a healthcare provider monitor your child's growth at regularly scheduled exams. At these visits, your pediatrician will determine whether your child is following a healthy growth pattern over time.
This tool is for children under age 2 and is based on World Health Organization dataOpens a new window for kids in that age group. You can also find out how tall your older child is likely to be with our Child Height Predictor.
Read on to learn more about the measurements healthcare professionals take, and how to measure your baby at home.
Baby weight
If you want to see how your baby is growing between doctor’s visits, here's how to get a fairly accurate weight at home:
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Undress your baby completely (remove the diaper too) and step on a scale while you're holding your child. Record that weight.
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Set your baby down and weigh yourself. Subtract your own weight from your combined weight with your baby and record that number.
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This isn't as accurate as weighing your baby at the doctor's office, but it's a good estimate of how much your little one weighs.
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If you're worried about your baby's weight gain, call your baby's pediatrician. They may have you come in for a visit, since it's important to have your baby weighed on a consistent scale that can accurately measure weight in pounds and ounces.
Baby height
Before your baby can stand and walk on their own, height is often recorded as "length" – that is, how long your baby is from the crown of the head to the bottom of the heel while lying down.
If you want to measure your baby's length at home between doctor visits, here's how:
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Lay your baby down on a flat surface and stretch a measuring tape from the top of the head to the bottom of the heel. Since babies' knees naturally bend a bit, you may need a second person to stretch out their legs while you take the measurement.
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Record your child's length to the nearest tenth of a centimeter or inch. (In the hospital, birth length is often recorded in centimeters, but your pediatrician's office will likely record baby length in inches. What you do is up to you!) Your record might be a little different than the doctor's, but that's okay.
Baby head circumference
Your baby's healthcare provider will measure head circumference for the first two years of your child’s life to make sure your baby's brain is growing at a healthy rate.
You can measure your baby's head circumference at home too, but it can be hard to do accurately. Here's how to get a good estimate:
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Wrap a flexible measuring tape around the widest part of your baby's head, just above the eyebrows and ears and around the back, where the head slopes out from the neck.
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Take the measurement three times (your baby may be wiggly, which could make getting an accurate measurement tough) and use the largest measurement to the nearest tenth of a centimeter.
FAQs
- Height, weight and body mass index (BMI) are measurements used to track growth and nutrition. - Genetics, nutrition, environment and activity can all play a factor. - Ideally, the weight should match the same percentile as the child's height.
How to read a fetal growth chart? ›
If the fetal weight estimate is below the bottom 10 per cent line on the graph, it is considered to be small for gestational age (SGA). If the fetal weight is above the top 10 per cent line on the graph, it is considered to be large for gestational age (LGA).
How to read a CDC growth chart? ›
Age is at the top and bottom of the chart, and length and weight are along the left and right sides. The curved lines show the percentile numbers, or patterns of growth. The percentile number means that your child's growth exceeds that percentage of other children their age.
How accurate are baby height charts? ›
This reading is only accurate to within 6cm (2½”). So if, for example, the predicted height is 160cm (5'3”), that means as an adult your child's height is likely to be between 154 and 166cm ( 5'½” and 5'5½”). Why is it recommended that only a trained health professional plots on the chart?
What percentile is concerning for babies? ›
There is no one ideal number. Healthy children come in all shapes and sizes, and a baby who is in the 5th percentile can be just as healthy as a baby who is in the 95th percentile.
What percentile is too big for baby? ›
Babies may be called large for gestational age if they weigh more than 9 in 10 babies (90th percentile) or more than 97 of 100 babies (97th percentile) of the same gestational age.
What is considered poor fetal growth? ›
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is often defined as an estimated fetal weight less than the 10th percentile for gestational age by prenatal ultrasound evaluation. The condition is associated with a number of short-term and long-term complications that can severely impact the quality of life.
What if baby weight is below 3rd percentile? ›
Going below the 3rd percentile would be considered underweight or failure to thrive (FTT), while going above the 97th percentile would be considered overweight, says Dr.
What are the signs of having a big baby? ›
A larger than expected fundal height could be a sign of fetal macrosomia. Excessive amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios). Having too much amniotic fluid — the fluid that surrounds and protects a baby during pregnancy — might be a sign that your baby is larger than average.
Do pediatricians use who or CDC growth chart? ›
The WHO growth standard charts should be used for children younger than 2 years of age. The CDC growth reference charts should be used for children aged 2 to 19 years.
Some changes to your child's growth chart may worry your provider more than others: When one of your child's measurements stays below the 10th percentile or above the 90th percentile for their age. If the head is growing too slowly or too quickly when measured over time.
How does baby growth chart work? ›
If a child's weight is at the 50th percentile line, that means that out of 100 normal children her age, 50 will be bigger than she is and 50 smaller. Similarly, if she is in the 75th percentile, that means that she is bigger than 75 children and smaller than only 25, compared with 100 children her age.
How can I tell if my baby will be tall? ›
There's no proven way to predict a child's adult height.
What is considered a tall baby at birth? ›
The average length of full-term babies at birth is 50 cm (20 in.). The normal range is 46 cm (18 in.) to 56 cm (22 in.). In the first month, babies typically grow 4 cm (1.5 in.) to 5 cm (2 in.). Your baby's head will grow at its fastest rate during the first 4 months after birth than at any other time.
Can you tell how tall a baby will be from ultrasound? ›
Ultrasound also can be used to track your pregnancy more closely. Fundal height is only a tool to estimate a fetus's growth in the womb. It's not an exact science. But fundal height measurements can offer reassuring signs of steady growth.
Are baby height percentiles accurate? ›
Probably not. Though growth charts help in spotting such fluctuations, the reality is that a baby's growth is often marked by variation—some will have a nice even curve, and some will have peaks and valleys.
Does baby weight correlate with height? ›
Birth weight and length are positively associated with later height from infancy to adulthood. Both genetic and individual-specific environmental factors influence the association between birth size and later height.
When should I worry about my baby weight percentile? ›
If your baby's growth percentile changes a lot — by 2 major percentile lines — talk to your child and family health nurse or doctor. They will assess the child's growth trend to see if there is any reason to be worried.
What happens if a baby is under the 10th percentile? ›
Research suggests that a baby whose weight is below the 10th percentile is much more likely to have problems than babies who are at or above the 10th percentile. And the risk of both short-term and long-term complications is higher for growth-restricted babies who are also born prematurely.
