What is a "Normal size baby"?

Oriana.Ocampo · June 2010

I had my 34 week appointment today and I asked my OB if he tells me about how much he thinks LO weighs. He said he measures me every appointment and the baby measures perfect, so he should be an normal size baby...

Is normal 6lbs? 7lbs? 6-8lbs?? What is considered normal???

Sweeti7307 · June 2010

i think an average size baby is around 6 or 7 pounds.

linareagan · June 2010

well i had my 31 week apt the other day and we had to do an ultrasound, doc says i am going to have a "large baby" or "very healthy baby" and they guessed by birth my lil guy would weigh about 8 and 1/2 pounds to 9 and 1/2 pounds and if he is late say 1 week, they say just add about 1/2 a pound per week that he is late. So im guessing that average just depends on what your OB means in their own minds. My guess would be 6 and 1/2 to 7 and 1/2. If that helps any.

JJ1973 · June 2010

I'm at 34 weeks almost and had a growth ultrasound done the other day, which revealed my baby is now (likely) 5 1/2 pounds, which is the 66th percentile. They have norms on all of this but they are outdated, from what I've learned. In fact, their doing research right now to update the norms on fetal growth (I'm enrolled in the study and my lo has been measured constantly throughout my pregnancy).

stargazer77 · June 2010

Just had a growth u/s at 37w on Tuesday and baby weighed in at 6lbs 13oz, which put him in the 51st percentile. I was told this was the average weight for a 37weeker, and that by full term, he'd probably be roughly 7 1/2-8lbs based on the 1/2 lb per week rule. So accrording to my doc, that is "average".

Angela814 · June 2010

I would consider 7-8 lbs to be a normal size.

MeanMommyLady · June 2010

"Normal" as in North American average is 7.5lbs. Normal range is 6-9lbs. Below that is considered "small" above that is considered "large".

NewlyWeds13 · June 2010

I would say anything between 6 and 9 pounds is pretty normal. between 18 and 22 inches long.

doremi29 · June 2010

My son was 6lbs 15oz and was considered 40th percentile for weight. At one month he now weighs 9lbs 10oz and is still at the 40th percentile.

canamama · June 2010

I asked my OB today if LO seems to be "normal sized" because DD# 2 was almost 10 lbs. and she felt my belly and said "yes, he looks to be around 7 lbs. right now". What??? I have 3 more weeks to go Indifferent

Mama2beNY · June 2010

I was told average was 7.5 to 8.5

Mrs. Alicia French · June 2010

I was just reading a book the other day that listed the "average" weight for a baby is 7lbs 2 ounces.

kbergo · September 2010

Yeah, I always heard average was 7.5 lbs. My son was 9.9 lbs, and I read later in a book that the "cut off" for how big a baby can be without being considered "too big" is 9.2 lbs. So I guess he was in the "too big" category:) And anything under 6 lbs is considered on the very small side, unless you are having multiples.

bridalbells · September 2010

Honey, both of my kids were macrosominac. They both weighed 9 lbs or greater. Alex weighed 9 lbs 9.2 oz and she is tall and skinny with a high metabolism. Logan weighed 9 lbs 15.44 oz and he is tall and skinny! ( he is almost at 30 inches!!!!)

So, I definitely agree with the other postings...6-8 lbs is normal. mine were almost at 9.5 to 10lbs.

rissa06 · September 2010

i would add that it depends on when they are born . . 8 pounds born at 37 weeks is large. .

trizzie · September 2010

rissa06:
i would add that it depends on when they are born . . 8 pounds born at 37 weeks is large. .

Agreed. My son was born at 37 weeks 5 days and weighed 8 lbs 8 oz. He was large. I had a growth u/s yesterday and she is already at 5 1/2 pounds.

wendy611 · September 2010

This just cracked me up because my first son was 8 lb. 6.5 oz. and my second son was 8 lb. 12 oz. When the doc delivered my second, she practically shouted what a big baby he was. I was expecting to see a baby the size of a large Butterball turkey, but he still seemed tiny to me. Now, in the nursery, he was obviously a little bigger than some of the other "average" babies, but I still didn't think he was so big for her to make such a big deal about it in the delivery room.

I have GD this time around, though, and now I'm afraid I just might have a Butterball turkey! (And he's due just after Thanksgiving!)

schnelly · October 2010

I know after a certain point, if the baby is in there longer than normal, they may start to lose. My sister was a month late and she lost weight in the womb according to the docs.

tressakim · October 2010

I usually hear them say between 6-8 pounds, at least as the average. But in my family the norm is 9-12, it really depends on you and your family history more than the norm, I'd have to have a premie to have a normal sized baby. lol My nurse/midwives are actually really great at calculating size, they were straight on with my last, they said about 8 pounds and he was 7 and 15 oz, his growth was slightly stunted, but I'm not sure how many people learn how to tell position and size with their hands, which my midwives can do. They could tell he was head down facing the wrong way just by feel. You could ask your ob but he might not be able to give a good estimate, but the average is usually 6-8, unless you come from a family like mine. And I think they consider under 6 lbs to be unhealthy.

wife1014 · October 2010

tressakim:
I usually hear them say between 6-8 pounds, at least as the average. But in my family the norm is 9-12, it really depends on you and your family history more than the norm, I'd have to have a premie to have a normal sized baby. lol My nurse/midwives are actually really great at calculating size, they were straight on with my last, they said about 8 pounds and he was 7 and 15 oz, his growth was slightly stunted, but I'm not sure how many people learn how to tell position and size with their hands, which my midwives can do. They could tell he was head down facing the wrong way just by feel. You could ask your ob but he might not be able to give a good estimate, but the average is usually 6-8, unless you come from a family like mine. And I think they consider under 6 lbs to be unhealthy.

who is "they"?

lotsofbustles · October 2010

5-8.5 lbs. is the range of 'normal' IMO.

rnfromtn · October 2010

MeanMommyLady:
"Normal" as in North American average is 7.5lbs. Normal range is 6-9lbs. Below that is considered "small" above that is considered "large".

This

christina1776 · October 2010

my midwife says 8 lbs is the new average... every OB has their own opinion, and there's so much variance who's to say for sure! As long as its healthy, thats what matters!

SethandSara · October 2010

I delivered two weeks overdue with my baby. Four days before he was born, the dr. said he was 8 pounds. I delivered a 10 lb, 4 oz. baby boy! She was SOOO wrong! I would think that 8 pounds would be average, but I've heard dozens of times that drs can be off by as much as 2 pounds in either direction. If you're unsure what "normal" is, give them a call. GL mama!

MrsAltman · October 2010

I read the other day that the new average for babies is about 8 lbs.

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