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WEIGHT, GROWTH, AND DEVELOPMENT

_Of what importance is the weight of the child?_

Nothing else tells so accurately how well it is thriving.

During the first year a record of the weight is almost indispensable;
throughout childhood it is of much interest and is the best guide to
the physical condition. It will well repay any mother or nurse to keep
such a record.

_How frequently should a child be weighed?_

Every week during the first six months, and at least once in two weeks
during the last six months of the first year. During the second year a
child should be weighed at least once a month.

_How rapidly should an infant gain in weight during the first year?_

There is usually a loss during the first week of from four to eight
ounces; after this a healthy child should gain from four to eight
ounces a week up to about the sixth month. From six to twelve months
the gain is less, usually from two to four ounces a week.

_Is it to be expected that bottle-fed infants will gain as rapidly as
those who are nursed?_

They seldom do so during the first month; after that time under
favourable circumstances the gain is usually quite as regular, and
during the latter half of the first year it is likely to be more
continuous than in a nursing infant, because the latter usually loses
weight at the time of weaning.

_Why do they not gain so rapidly at first?_

It takes a few weeks for the stomach to become accustomed to cow's
milk, and until this is accomplished it is necessary to make the milk
very weak or the child's digestion will be upset.

_For a child of average weight at birth (seven to seven and a half
pounds) what should be the weight at the different periods during the
first year?_

At three months it should be twelve to thirteen pounds; at six months,
fifteen to sixteen pounds; at nine months, seventeen to eighteen
pounds; at one year, twenty to twenty-two pounds. At five months a
healthy child will usually double its weight, and at twelve months it
will nearly treble its weight.

_Do all healthy infants gain steadily in weight during the first
year?_

As a rule they do; yet it is seldom the case that one gains every week
for the entire year. With most infants there are from time to time
periods of a few weeks in which no gain is made. These are more often
seen from the seventh to the tenth month and frequently occur when the
child is cutting teeth, sometimes during very hot weather.

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