OK who can answer this question for me - what does it REALLY matter if your baby doesn't "follow the centiles" or put on weight according to the averages....

[harpsichordcarrier]

because it seems we are obsessed with it and I don't really understand why.
If your baby doesn't follow the centiles in the first few months, then what effect would this have on development?
how can you know this isn't normal for your baby?
will s/he catch up later?
even if s/he doesn't, who cares? why does it matter? and why do we all get so uptight about weight gain?

Very Truby King, that chicken bone thing. Truby King was in vogue in the late 30s. Does that say anything about the age of your HV? My 68 year old mother-in-law was brought up according to Truby King. Tehe book still makes for a very funny read...

I take no notice of the centiles. HV seem stuck to them but my DC were always on the 25th or below whilst bf. But dd1 3.10 yrs and dd2 2.11yrs are both very healthy and at last gp check were both normal weight for height each. GP said they are very fit. My dm said they started to get hung up on centiles when i was little but when my brother brother was young they never bothered unless the child seemed ill