Baby Stats from 1962 vs. Today: A Pediatric Time Capsule

In 1962, pediatricians jotted down growth stats in longhand and mixed formula with evaporated milk and sugar. This pediatrician’s note from that era paints a picture of how infant care looked more than 60 years ago—and how much it has changed since.

Let's break down a real example from 1962 (see image), when a 2¾-month-old baby visited the doctor for a routine check-up.

📏 Growth Stats at 11 Weeks
* • Weight: 15 lb 10 oz (7.1 kg)
* • Length: 25.5 inches (64.8 cm)
* • Head Circumference: 16.5 inches (41.9 cm)
* • Chest: 17 inches
* • Abdomen: 15.5 inches

Modern Percentile Estimates (2023 WHO data):
Measurement Percentile (approximate, male) Notes
Weight (7.1 kg) >97th percentile Very large for age
Length (64.8 cm) ~97th percentile Very tall for age
Head Circumference ~90th–95th percentile Large head, still within normal limits.

Takeaway: This baby was off the charts—very large for age in every category.

🍼 What Was in the Bottle?
The doctor prescribed a homemade formula mix:
* • 13 oz evaporated milk
* • 1 tbsp dextrose-maltose
* • 17 oz water
* • Five bottles per day, 8 oz each
That totals 40 oz daily, providing around 565 calories/day.

❗Modern Comparison:
Today's recommendations call for 110–120 kcal/kg/day.

For a baby this size (7.1 kg), that’s 780–850 kcal/day—about 30% more than the 1962 recipe provided.

🥕 Solids… Already?
By 11 weeks, the baby was encouraged to start:
* • Cereal
* • Fruits
* • Vegetables like peas, carrots, green beans, spinach

Today’s prevailing Pediatric recommendation is waiting until 6 months for solid foods to reduce the risk of allergies, choking, and GI issues. Early use of spinach is discouraged now due to its nitrate content, which can cause methemoglobinemia in young infants.

1962: Total Iron Intake: ~0.25 mg/day 🔴 This was severely inadequate. The iron in evaporated milk is not only low in quantity, but it is also poorly absorbed (low bioavailability).

TODAY: The current iron intake recommendation, which is in modern formulas, is 7.5–8.5 mg/day. Breast milk contains low amounts of iron, but it highly bioavailable, well-absorbed, and therefore adequate for babies.

💊 Meds & Supplements
1962:
* • ½ baby aspirin every 4 hours PRN fever
* • Tri-Vi-Sol (vitamins A, D, C)

Today:
* • Aspirin is avoided in infants due to Reye’s Syndrome risk
* • Tri-Vi-Sol is still used, especially in breastfed babies for vitamin D supplementation

📌 Summary

• The baby was large for age even by today’s standards, despite receiving fewer calories than currently recommended.

• The formula recipe was typical of the era but lacks modern fortification (e.g., iron).

• Early solids and aspirin use are now discouraged.
  
  🧬 And that big, healthy, spinach-eating baby in 1962?
  
  It was me, crushing the growth curve.