How Much Should a Baby Weigh at 12 Months?

Healthy babies grow rapidly in their first 12 months of life.

Babies Triple their Birth Weight by 12 Months

In the first year of life, babies grow very rapidly. By the age of five or six months, babies are expected to double their birth weight. By 12 months of age, babies are expected to triple their birth weight. Doctors use growth charts based on a babies birth weight, age, and national averages to determine if a baby's weight meets healthy development and growth norms.

Each Baby Has His Own Growth Curve

Not all babies will grow at the expected rate. Some babies fall very low on the charts for weight compared to national averages. As long as your baby is following his own growth pattern and not losing weight or slowing down in the growth rate by an abnormal amount, there is no need to worry. Infants grow the fastest for the first six months of life. Growth slows down at around six months for all babies and slows more around nine months.

Bottom Line

Babies who are not interested in purees may like soft foods such as bananas instead.

All babies grow at different rates. If your baby is happy, demands food regularly, has plenty of wet diapers, sleeps well, is active and shows signs of growing chubbier, chances are your baby is growing at a healthy rate. If you have concerns about your baby's growth, consider the reasons why this could be. Note the child's interest in food. If interest is low, offer different types of foods such as table food instead of purees. If your baby is increasingly active, and burning too many calories, try and keep mealtimes free of distractions. If you are still concerned about your baby's weight, consult your pediatrician.

References

• Baby Care Advice: How Much Weight Should a Healthy Baby Gain?
• Mayo Clinic: Infant and Toddler Health
• Kids Health: Growth and Your 8- 12 Month Old

Resources

• Kids Growth: Tables of Normal Growth