What Does The 95th Percentile For Height And Weight Mean?

Pediatricians determine percentiles for height and weight by using a pediatric growth chart, which is a handy tool for keeping tabs on baby growth and telling you when it's drifting from the norm. But no matter what end of the pediatric growth chart your baby falls — whether it's the 95th or the 15th percentile — don't let that number become a source of anxiety for you.

Growth charts for babies essentially show you how your baby's height and weight compares with other babies. This data is collected from a large number of both breastfed and formula-fed children by the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

What does it mean to be in the 95th percentile for height and weight?

What falling on the 95th percentile of a pediatric growth chart means is that your baby is currently both taller and heavier than 95 percent of all other babies her age (of the same sex).

Even though that number may sound high, that doesn't necessarily mean your baby's excessively hefty. She might just be having a growth spurt (which is common among 6-month-olds) that temporarily has her outpacing other babies her age.

And if you're nursing, bear in mind that breastfed babies tend to outweigh their counterparts fed with infant formula for the first six months. Or perhaps, she might simply be genetically programmed to be bigger than her peers (which is likely if you or her other parent are larger than average).

In other words, it's very hard to tell what factors contribute to the measurements shown on growth charts for babies, which is why your doctor will be more interested in the overall patterns in her height and weight gain. If her weight continues to keep pace with her height, then chances are she's perfectly fine. Track your pregnancy weight with the My Journal tool in our free app

Be sure to discuss your concerns with your baby's pediatrician during her 6-month checkup. If he's not worried about what growth charts for babies say about your daughter's weight and growth, then you shouldn't be either.

Keep in mind: It is both unadvisable and potentially very dangerous to underfeed a baby or to limit her calories and fat intake. In fact, fats are a vital part of a baby's diet and eating habits. If your baby's weight gain does outpace her overall growth over time, your pediatrician may evaluate your child in case there's an underlying problem.

The bottom line: Ignore the comments about your daughter's chubbiness, and relish her sweet self!

Here's to big, beautiful babies,