Newborn Weight Gain: Normal Range & What to Expect | Parenting Hub
Most newborns lose up to 10% of birth weight, then regain it by 2 weeks. Learn average gains, feeding signs and when to see a doctor.
Newborns usually lose weight in the first days, regain birth weight by 2 weeks, and then gain steadily. Trust the growth curve, not just the scales.
What's normal
Babies lose weight after birth as they pass meconium and fluid shifts settle. Up to 10% of birth weight is normal. Most babies regain birth weight by 2 weeks.
After that, average weight gain in the first 3 months is roughly 150–200g per week — but every baby is different.
Better signs than the scales
Day-to-day weighing is misleading. These signs tell you feeding is working:
- 6+ heavy wet nappies in 24 hours from day 5
- 3+ poos a day in the first 6 weeks (breastfed)
- Baby is alert when awake and settles between feeds
- Skin is pink and elastic, mouth is moist
- Baby is back to birth weight by 2 weeks
How often to weigh
Routine weighing in Australia is at 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, then aligned with maternal child health nurse visits and immunisations. More frequent weighing causes anxiety without adding value.
Always use the same scales, naked baby, before a feed when possible.
Growth charts
Australia uses WHO growth charts for babies 0–24 months. The percentile (3rd, 50th, 97th) isn't a grade — it just shows where baby sits compared to other babies. What matters is the trend along baby's own line.
When to see a doctor
See your GP or MCH nurse if baby still hasn't regained birth weight by 2 weeks, gains stop or drop across percentile lines, or you're worried about feeding.
When to seek urgent care
Sunken fontanelle, dry mouth, fewer than 6 wet nappies in 24 hours, lethargy or hard to wake — same-day medical assessment.
When to seek help
- Not back to birth weight by 2 weeks
- Crossing percentile lines downwards
- Fewer than 6 wet nappies in 24 hours
- Sunken fontanelle, dry mouth, lethargic
- Refusing feeds or weak suck
Common questions
Should I weigh my baby at home?
Not routinely. Home scales aren't accurate enough to be useful day-to-day and can fuel anxiety. Rely on your MCH nurse weigh-ins.
Is the 50th percentile the goal?
No — percentiles are not goals or grades. A healthy baby can sit on the 3rd or 97th. What matters is their own steady trend.