Baby Growth Charts
Parents could be overfeeding breast fed babies after consulting out of date national infant growth charts.
Where Does This Growth Chart Come From?
The current NCHS table was compiled from data from the United States in 1977 based on the needs of pre-dominantly formula fed babies. The World Health Organisation cite biological and technical anomalies that make it inappropriate to use this data to accurately assess the growth of babies that have been breastfed.
More recently, research conducted between 1997 and 2004 from 8440 babies from Brazil, Ghana, India, Norway, Oman and the US has enabled the WHO to develop an extensive, up to date and international reference for child development, growth and feeding patterns.
What Are The Implications Of Using This Chart?
The NCHS chart is currently used in over one hundred countries. Paediatricians in these countries could be over-estimating how much weight should be gained by breastfed babies. For example, some babies who are underweight at two to three months, according to the growth chart, might be advised to be given supplementary formula to top up breast feeds.
What Can I Do?
Refer to the information in your babies Personal Health Child Record Book. It includes the most up to date growth charts and is based on breast and formula fed babies. (A chart based on solely breast fed babies is also available. The new international WHO researched charts for breast fed babies is currently being tested and should be available before 2006. This should provide a new and up to date guide to growth and development and cite breast fed babies as the norm.
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