Assessing a newborn's weight
A baby's birthweight is an important indicator of health. The average weight for term babies (born between 37 and 41 weeks gestation) is about 7 lbs (3.2 kg). In general, small babies and very large babies are more likely to have problems. Babies are weighed daily in the nursery to assess growth and fluid and nutrition needs. Newborn babies may lose as much as 10 percent of their birthweight. This means that a baby weighing 7 pounds 3 ounces at birth might lose as much as 10 ounces in the first few days.
In most cases the metric system is used for weighing babies. This chart will help you convert grams to pounds.
Converting grams to pounds and ounces
1 lb. = 453.59237 grams; 1 oz. = 28.349523 grams; 1000 grams = 1 kg.
Pounds
Ounces
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
907
1361
1814
2268
2722
3175
3629
4082
1
936
1389
1843
2296
2750
3203
3657
4111
2
964
1417
1871
2325
2778
3232
3685
4139
3
992
1446
1899
2353
2807
3260
3714
4167
4
1021
1474
1928
2381
2835
3289
3742
4196
5
1049
1503
1956
2410
2863
3317
3770
4224
6
1077
1531
1984
2438
2892
3345
3799
4252
7
1106
1559
2013
2466
2920
3374
3827
4281
8
1134
1588
2041
2495
2948
3402
3856
4309
9
1162
1616
2070
2523
2977
3430
3884
4337
10
1191
1644
2098
2551
3005
3459
3912
4366
11
1219
1673
2126
2580
3033
3487
3941
4394
12
1247
1701
2155
2608
3062
3515
3969
4423
13
1276
1729
2183
2637
3090
3544
3997
4451
14
1304
1758
2211
2665
3118
3572
4026
4479
15
1332
1786
2240
2693
3147
3600
4054
4508
-->What other measurements are taken of the newborn?
Other measurements are also taken of each baby. These include:
-
Head circumference. The distance around the baby's head (head circumference is normally about 1/2 the baby's body length plus 10 cm).
-
Abdominal circumference. The distance around the abdomen.
-
Length. The measurement from crown of head to the heel.