Lots of parents worry about their baby's weight, how often they'll be weighed and if they are getting enough milk, and later food to help them grow and develop. Visit your local healthy child clinic for advice, information and support for you and your child's health and development from your local Health Visiting Team.
Kent health visitors and midwives created this film to show how your baby's growth is monitored during their early years, why this is important and what support is available for you and your baby.
Thank you to all the parents, children and colleagues at Kent Community Health Foundation Trust and East Kent University NHS Foundation Trust for their help in creating this video.
Steady weight gain is one of the signs that your baby is healthy and feeding well. It's normal for babies to lose some weight in the first few days after birth but most babies are at, or above, their birthweight by two weeks. Your midwife or health visitor will support you if your baby doesn't get back to their birthweight in that time.
The growth charts at the back of your baby’s red book helps you keep track of your baby’s growth. Your baby is expected to follow their centile line as they get older.
- Lighter than average at birth (on or between the second to ninth centiles or curved lines)
- An average weight (around the 50th centile)
- Heavier than average (on or between the 91st to 98th centiles).
Premature babies may grow in line with those born at term but for some babies their growth and development may be slower. Your health visitor will measure your baby at each visit and at any healthy child clinics you attend. Trust your baby – they generally know how much they need to eat. Giving your child control over how much milk and later solids that they need by following their cues is the best way to support your child’s healthy growth.
You’ll learn and tune into your baby’s feeding cues that show you they’re hungry or have had enough and want to stop eating. This is called responsive feeding. By ignoring those cues, your child might grow up less able to tell when they’re full and they might eat too much. Visit our responsive feeding page for more support to feed your baby responsively.
How often should my baby be weighed?
After the first two weeks, your baby should be weighed:
- no more than once a month up to six months of age
- no more than once every two months from six to 12 months of age
- no more than once every three months over the age of one.
Faltering growth
Faltering growth is when a baby is not gaining weight as expected. It is normal for babies to lose some weight in the first few days after birth, but most will have regained this by three weeks of age as feeding becomes established. If weight gain stays slow after this point, or a baby loses more than ten per cent of their birthweight, this can be a sign of an underlying issue.
This can feel worrying for parents and carers. Your health visiting team will listen, offer tailored support and monitor your baby’s growth.
Faltering growth can happen for many reasons including feeding difficulties, illness or wider social and emotional factors such as postnatal depression, stress or anxiety. Parents often blame themselves when their baby is not growing well, but your health visiting team is here to offer advice and reassurance to support feeding and catch-up growth. Spotting difficulties early helps protect your baby’s health and development.
Signs to look out for
Health colleagues will regularly check your baby’s weight in the early days and weeks. The red book growth chart tracks weight, length and head circumference over time. A baby following their birth centile is usually growing as expected. Concerns include:
- More than ten per cent weight loss in the early weeks.
- Not being back to birthweight by three weeks of age.
- A drop across centile line.
- Feeding challenges such as difficulty latching, refusing feeds or frequent vomiting.
- Fewer wet and dirty nappies; babies should usually have six wet nappies and two small stools each day.
- Low energy levels or delays in development.
If faltering growth is suspected, a full clinical, social and feeding assessment will be carried out and support offered may include:
- Referral to the Specialist Infant Feeding Team for suspected tongue tie or feeding support. This can include help with positioning and attachment, reviewing feeding patterns or offering extra feeding options.
- Referral to a paediatric assessment unit to check for possible medical causes of slow weight gain.
- Follow-up with your midwife or health visitor who will monitor growth and may involve other specialists such as a dietitian, a speech and language therapist or a clinical psychologist if emotional factors are affecting feeding.
How parents and carers can help
Going to your routine health checks can help reassure you that your baby is growing well. If feeding feels settled, try not to weigh your baby too often as it can cause worry. Following the suggested weighing intervals above can give you a clearer picture of your baby’s growth over time.
If you would like help with breastfeeding, formula feeding or introducing solid foods, Kent Baby has lots of simple, friendly information to guide you. . Beside You also offers breastfeeding support and details of local drop-ins where you can talk to someone face-to-face.
Finally, trust your instincts. If something does not feel right, or you are worried about how your baby is feeding or growing, please speak to your health visitor. It is important to get help if your baby is losing weight, not gaining steadily, feeding feels stressful, or symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhoea continue. We are here to listen and support you.
Useful resources
Page last reviewed: 09/02/2026, next review due: 09/02/2029