What is the average weight and length of a newborn baby in the UK?

THE arrival of a new baby is a scary time for many parents, with dozens of questions probably whirring through your head.

Are you wondering if your tot is a "normal" size? Here's what you need to know about the average weight and length of a newborn here in the UK.

When your baby's born, doctors will measure his or her weight and length - as well as their head circumference.

If your tot is premature, they're likely to be quite small, whereas a late baby could grow to a notable size.

Your baby's size at birth will not necessarily relate to their adult height.

A big newborn baby could still become a short adult, and vice versa.

The average weight for a baby born in the UK is 7lb 8oz for boys and for girls 7lb 4oz.

Prince Louis weighed 8lb, 7oz when he was born - putting him on the upper end of the normal scale.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's baby Archie weighed 7lbs 3oz at birth.

A newborn who weighs more than 8.8lbs is considered larger than normal - and may be referred to as macrosomia.

These babies are often born to mums who developed gestational diabetes while pregnant.

You may also have a big baby if you:

A baby who's born at full term will normally be between 50-53cm long, with an average length of 51cm.

Tots who have tall parents are often longer, and vice versa for short parents.

Newborns carry extra fluid, so it's perfectly normal for their weight to drop by seven to 10 per cent in the first few days.

Their birth weight should, however, be regained by about two weeks.

The NHS gives new parents growth charts in a red book, so you can track their growth.

The curved plotted lines are based on data by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and show the pattern a healthy child should follow.