How often should I get my baby weighed and measured?

Getting your baby weighed and measured is a useful way of checking that he's growing as expected. It can give you peace of mind and also help to identify whether there are any problems affecting his development.

Your baby will be weighed at birth and again before your leave hospital or when your midwife visits you at home. After your baby is born you should be referred to a local health clinic to see a child health nurse. She may do the first visit at your home and weigh and measure your baby at this visit. If there isn’t a child health nurse in your area you may want to visit your GP more often for a check-up.

Your child health nurse will tell you when to visit the local health clinic for an appointment. There will usually be appointments every few weeks to start and up to six times before your baby’s first birthday. She may ask to see you more regularly if she has any concerns about your baby's growth.

You don’t need to weigh your baby at home, and don’t take him to be weighed more often than your child health nurse advises. It could cause you unnecessary worry. One week your baby may have fed just before he was weighed, the following week he may have fed several hours previously. His resulting weight may make it seem as if he hasn’t gained much at all, even if he has.

If you’re at all concerned about your baby’s growth, however, contact your child health nurse or GP for advice.

Find out more about your baby's growth.