The way kids grow

For starters, healthy kids come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, and they don't grow at a steady rate, either.

Your child can look very different from your friends' kids -- or from his own siblings at the same age -- and still be completely normal.

What influences growth

At birth: A baby's size when he's born is based partly on genetics. Firstborns tend to be smaller than subsequent children because the uterus is smaller and tighter in first-time moms.

Boys are larger than girls, and multiples, boys and girls, are smaller than average.

Some environmental factors that can influence a newborn's size:

• the mother's weight -- very heavy women tend to have larger babies

• weight gain during pregnancy -- a very low gain (under ten pounds) usually means a smaller baby

• whether or not Mom smokes or drinks a lot of caffeine -- both of which can limit an unborn baby's growth

• a mom's chronic illness -- diabetics, for instance, often have very large babies.

During the first two years: A baby's growth is based on a combination of her birth size and the size she's genetically programmed to be: A small newborn who's going to be a big child will grow faster in the first two years than a big baby who's going to be a small child.

Credit: cnn.com/health

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