So Heather:

The policy makers in the UK always seem to think that babies in the UK don't grow like the rest of the world and object to standardized charts.  A lot of very careful measurement and statistics went into determining appropriate standards even in the first two weeks but really I don't think anyone actually uses the charts in the first two weeks anyway because percent weight loss and percent of weight gain seem to be the indicators of choice.  So, even throwing out the first two weeks -- if you start with a baby who is at the third percentile at two weeks and grows at 1/2 ounce a day thereafter and look at the results on cumulative weight gain until 12 weeks, you end up with almost the same results:

A girl who was at the third percentile at 14 days who gained 1/2 per day would be 27 ounces (or 192 grams) lower than a baby who grew along the third percentile.

A boy who was at the third percentile at 14 days who gained 1/2 per day would be 38.7 ounces (or 270 grams) lower than a baby who grew along the third percentile.

Still physiologically important.

Best, Susan Burger

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