The percentage on the growth curve often becomes a number that can trigger considerable anxiety in parents. Like everything, a growth curve is simply a bird’s eye view of your infant’s growth. The most important thing about growth curves is to not interpret them in isolation. For example, an infant may have been growing TOO quickly (“supranormal growth”) with a mom’s untreated hyperlactation/oversupply. Once this is treated and both mom and baby are more comfortable, the baby will “re-set” at its own normal (rather than “supranormal”) curve. This can appear to be a “drop from the curve” if the pediatrician isn’t examining mom and baby together. The number on the growth curve can be misleading in other ways. For example, infants who start to crawl or walk early will burn more calories than their sedentary peers they are measured against. This can also affect their curve. Finally, we know that different ethnicities grow differently, so it is important to look at the baby’s overall development rather than just their “curve.”
