The growth of 4-to 7-month-old

Babies this age continue to bloom — in size, physical skills, and ability to interact with the world. In most cases, this is the age when babies begin to respond to their name, reach for objects, sit alone, and make happy sounds — or show frustration when a new skill proves too hard to master right away.

Many of the new skills they’re learning will come in handy for eating solid food. In fact, sometime during this period, your baby will probably get that first taste of food beyond breast milk or formula. Although breastfeeding or formula feeding will continue to be the main source of nourishment, your baby can start to explore different tastes and textures. As long as your baby continues to grow steadily, eating habits shouldn’t be a cause for concern.

How Much Do Babies This Age Grow?

Babies continue to grow quickly in this period, gaining an average of about 1.5 to 2 pounds (700 to 900 grams) a month at first. At about 6 months, growth often slows slightly, to about 1 to 1.25 pounds (450 to 600 grams) a month. That rate usually continues until the first birthday, when growth slows a bit more. Babies’ length also continues to increase greatly, perhaps 2 inches (6 centimeters) during this period.

There is no strict rule of thumb about how much a baby should weigh at this stage, but by 8 months most weigh about 2.5 times more than they did at birth. A 7-pound (3000-gram) newborn, in other words, is likely to weigh 17-18 pounds (7,500-8,000 grams) by the end of this period.

Since your child’s birth, the doctor has been recording growth in weight, length, and head size (circumference) during your regular well-baby visits. The doctor tracks these figures on standard growth charts. Ask your doctor to show you your baby’s growth record. By now, you should begin to see a personal growth curve emerging — expect your child to continue growing along this curve.

Should I Be Concerned?

Is my baby too fat? Too thin? Is my child destined to be tall or short? Parents often worry about growth and may compare a baby with siblings and peers. It’s important to remember that kids come in a wide range of shapes and sizes.

Growth depends on many factors, including:

• genes passed on by the parents (kids tend to resemble their parents in height)
• the amount and quality of food a child eats
• overall health
• the functioning of the hormones that control aspects of growth

Based on the growth chart, the doctor can determine whether your child is growing as expected. If at any time you’re concerned about your baby’s weight or growth in general, discuss your worries with your doctor.

In response to your concerns, the doctor may ask you these questions:

• How many feedings a day does your baby get?
• How much does your baby eat at each feeding?
• How long does a breastfeeding baby nurse at each feeding?
• What else are you feeding your baby?
• How frequent are your baby’s bowel movements? What do they look like?
• How often does your baby urinate?

In addition, the doctor may ask questions about your baby’s health and development. All of these factors together will help the doctor decide if your baby is growing at an appropriate pace. The doctor may recommend further medical evaluation if he or she thinks there may be an underlying problem that needs to be addressed.

Premature babies may still be behind in size compared with their full-term peers, but they should also be growing steadily at their own rate.

What About the Chubby Baby?

With all the concern about childhood obesity, parents may worry that their baby is getting too fat. A few babies and toddlers are overweight. For these children, professional advice from the baby’s doctor can be useful.

But never withhold food from a baby in an attempt to cause weight loss. To grow and develop as they should, babies need proper nutrition, including fat, in their diet.

Rather than limiting food intake, make sure the foods your baby eats are nutritious rather than full of “empty” calories. For instance, many babies drink a lot of apple juice, which is high in calories and has little nutritional value. Juice is not recommended for infants younger than than 6 months. After 6 months, 100% fruit juice can be introduced in a sippy cup (limited to less than 4 ounces, or 118 milliliters, a day).

Introduce pureed vegetables and fruits without added sugar and don’t give your baby desserts or other sweets that are high in sugar and offer little nutritional value. Also, look for the cues that your baby is full, and don’t use food to keep a baby quiet or occupied. A crying baby may just be looking for some attention.