Every few weeks Chris and I break out these a little gadgets for a little weighing/measuring session with the bambino. It’s fun to track his growth, especially since he only has official measurements taken at his doctor’s visits every two months. Here is our tool kit:
Height/Length.
Materials:
- Yard stick,
- Wall,
- Baby.
This one is easy, provided that the babe isn’t too squirmy.
Gently stick both baby and yard stick against the wall and measure to the end of the baby’s heel. It’s tempting to include his pointy little toes but that’s considered cheating.
Head Circumference
Materials:
- Flexible sewing measuring tape (with centimeters),
- Baby.
Ben is not a fan of this one, or anything that involves putting something on his head, for that matter.
[Oh, and check out Benjamin’s nice little bare spot. We say that he’s got a case of Baby-Pattern-Baldness]
Measure around the widest part of your baby’s head, which is typically low across the forehead and immediately above the ears.
Weight
Materials:
- Large blanket (for use as a baby sling)(we prefer the big swaddling blankets),
- Scale (we use an old digital fish scale of my dad’s),
- Baby
IF you are without a hanging scale device, a bathroom scale will work just fine although it might round to the nearest pound: On the scale, measure yourself first, then, holding your baby, measure the both of you together. Then subtract your individual weight from your combined baby weight. [example. You: 150 lbs. You & Baby: 160 lbs. 160-150= 10 lb baby]
Here’s how we do it with the fish scale:
1. Make a sling for the baby by tying the ends of the blanket together.
2. Strip the bambino of clothes and diaper. We need that baby naked!
3. Hang sling from scale.
4. Zero it out.
6. Place baby into sling and read weight. We lift him off the ground by just enough to get a proper reading; no more than an inch or two.
Then waltz over to the CDC:
Boys: 0 − 2 years, Head Circumference, Height/Weight
Girls: 0 − 2 years, Head Circumference, Height/Weight
And there you have it! Don’t forget to keep your records in a spreadsheet.
