Should I worry about DS's length?

[FlingonTheValiant]

DS (21 weeks) was born at 51cms, so 50th percentile. At 8 weeks he was 58cms, so still 50th.

About 2 weeks ago we had to go and stay at short notice with DH's family in France (death in the family), and we went rather ill-equipped for DS. So we went to a baby shop to get him something to sleep in. In the shop we measured him to see whether he'd get much use out of a moses.

We did it exactly how the HVs do, solid bar at the top, laid him flat and stretched him out. And he's only 60cms. I didn't think much of it because I couldn't remember his previous length.

But when we got back and I took him to be weighed I had a peek at the length chart and that's only the 2nd percentile. I asked the HVs if they'd measure him so that we could check and they told me that they don't bother measuring babies after the 8 week check. So I did it again when I got home and he's still measuring 60cms.

I don't know whether I'm worrying unnecessarily, but it seems to me that he shouldn't have dropped down the percentiles like that. I would have thought he'd grow more than 2 cms in 3 months.

Unnecessary panic? Or would you worry a little too?

As long as he is healthy and happy I wouldn't worry at all.

Ds wasn't even measured at birth, he is 16 months and 76cm the only reason I know that is the measure his height when he has check ups at the hospital. If it wasn't for that he would never have been measured.

Well he's happy, and we're getting there with healthy, so I suppose I'll just wait for him to have a spurt.

Thanks Sirzy.

I think baby's length is a difficult one to be accurate about.

Our health visitor measured dd2 when she was a few days old and recorded the lenght in dd's book. The same nurse measured her again weeks later with the same equipment and actually recorded her length as being SHORTER than it was when she was a few days old.

I didn't notice until she had left. I was fairly certain dd hadn't shrunk so one of the measurements was clearly worng.

Could something similar have happened with your DS.

DS (9mo)hasn't ever had his length measured. My HV said they don't do it anymore - which is odd because other babies in the same village were done.

Doesn't bother me, though I am curious as to how he compares with his tall sister. I assume if there were any concerns as to his weight then it would be done as I don't see how a weight chart alone can tell the whole story.

In your case I wouldn't worry unless you (or they) are worrying about weight gain/loss or other development issues.

Oh, and when DD was small my fab HV insisted on measuring and recording her length the day before our 6 week check with the GP. The reason- she was responsible for training the GPs in the practice on how to do it but said it was very tricky to get right and she still didn't trust them to do it properly. So whilst you may think you have "done it right" you may not have!

Thanks suiledonne and Wincy. With any luck I've just messed it up then!

There were issues with his weight, but nobody checked his length, which I think is probably why I'm worried by it now.

Hopefully it's just my mistake.

Just checked dd2's chart. She was 51cm at birth and 59.5cm at 19 weeks. At 19 weeks she was between 9th and 25th centile. Can't read it more accurately.

She is 28 months old now and is bang on average for her age. She has varied from being on very low centiles to the 50th all along. She has quite obvious growth spurts so maybe your DS is the same.

HTH