Weight gain

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

I have been a weight watcher for Gabby since she was born. It all started with breastfeeding and worrying if she was getting enough to thrive. She was and I continued to worry worry worry until she was nine months old and almost 18lbs. She was born at 6lbs so she tripled her birth weight and this made me feel so much better.

Fast forward to her twelve month check up. She is only 19lbs 1 oz. She was 17lbs 11oz at 9 months. She dropped from 27th percentile to the 17th. She didn’t gain much at all but she started walking at 10 months so I know she’s burning a lot more calories. She is such a finicky eater. She has also dropped her six ounce bottles down to four so she’s taking the bare minimum 16 oz of formula a day. I haven’t started milk yet but will in the next few weeks. The doc is a bit concerned. I’m doing a weight check in six weeks. She did gain 2.25 inches though and is 70th percentile for height. Her head circumference also went up percentiles.

So, I’m worried, but I’m not. I’m kind of curious what your lil ones weighed in at around a year. Or if you have had some time where your lil one dropped off in growth. I’m almost glad she’s not 20lbs so people can stop askign me when I’m turning her car seat around. (I don’t plan to until at least 30 lbs) Anyways, sorry for the saga. Now, do your best to make me feel better. 😉 You guys are always good at that!

[Anonymous]

Alex was only 17 pounds at a year. Kaelyn was 19 pounds. She is now near the top of the charts in height and near the middle for weight, so she’s happy and healthy and gaining well. Our ped says that he looks for a range on the percentile charts, so he would consider a change of 10 to be basically insignificant.

[Anonymous]

Alana was 10.9 kilos…a chubby checker…but she has dropped about 8%ile points since 10 months. I wouldn’t worry personally, particulary given her development is so on track. BTW Alana only does about 10 ounces a day now. If you are concerned perhaps you can “fatten up” her formula with some fats?

[hellbennt]

I have a skinny guy, too & I’m doing my best not to worry. he fell off the charts at his 12 month check up (just last month) weighing only 18lbs…

he was in the 3rd%tile or 5th%tile at his 9 month check up…

the ped has him drinking pediasure, but he doesn’t drink that much of it…not even close to a container a day…

it’s HARD!!

[Anonymous]

I have the opposite problem…Sarah keeps growing wider…just not taller! She was 22 pounds at her 12 month check up, but only 29 inches. She’s hovered around 29 inches for about 6 months now and I’m anxiously awaiting a growth spurt!

I know it’s easier said than done to say “try not to worry”, but if it makes you feel better you could take her in more frequently for weight checks.

[Anonymous]

Myles dropped in his weight percentile at his nine month check up (from 75th to 40th) I was worried but he’s fine and has been in the 50th percentile for the last year. I think it’s pretty normal for weight gain to taper off between 9 months and a year, and especially when they begin walking. Myles was off the bottle already by 9 months and only taking 15 ounces of formula (at most) so I added calories to his foods by adding some black strap molasses, flax seed oil, olive oil, etc and I started giving him oatmeal twice a day instead of once until he caught up in his weight. The oatmeal is great because you can make it with lots of milk or formula.

I wouldn’t worry too much yet. She’ll probably catch up with her weight in the next few months.

[Anonymous]

Ugh,the weight gain worry game One of my favorites Up untill a week ago I was weighing Kate every week b/c of all of her feeding issues I was always afraid she was losing and I wouldn’t be paying attention. It’s not very smart just because it varies from week to week so I pretty much had anxiety about every weigh in. Poor thing. I’m soooo neurotic it’s pretty ridiculous. I hope she takes after dh who’s easy and breezy.

I’m glad to know that weight gain tapers off after awhile so I won’t freak out TOO much.(no promises) Hang in there Kathy. I’m sure if she’s developing and happy and all that jazz it’ll be fine. I’ll try to listen to my own advice too

[Anonymous]

Caden dropped from 50th to 25th at this last checkup

The pediatrician said it’s normal to drop down at this stage…I hope he’s right. None of my other kids have done this, but I will say that Caden seems to be much pickier with the foods he’ll eat compared to our other boys. I wouldn’t worry yet (easier said than done). If she drops drastically, I’m sure they’ll give you some tips on what to do.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Claire was a teeny tiny one too. She weighed 19 lbs. at a year, and that was good for her! She really caught up between about 15-18 months, and now is in the 75% for both height and weight.

[Anonymous]

My oldest, in the 70-90th percentile from the beginning.

Owen, 17lbs 5 oz at 9 1/2 mo. The 4th percentile. My doc was thrilled we were on the charts.

Every kid is different. I think if they are happy and healthy otherwise, I think I’m doing a good job.

When I look back at Owen’s early pics, his skin looked terrible, very blotchy and pale and his eyes were dark. He looked sick. Now, he’s got that fat little belly after he eats. Chicken legs, but oh well!

[Anonymous]

My older dd was a HUGE baby- 27lbs at 1 year!!… nearly broke my back trying to carry her.

Hailey was 22 lbs at 1 year, but then was only 24ish pounds at 2 years, so she didn’t gain much during the second year. Of course, our situation is different- the plateau from 1-2 is relative to her feeding problems and the tapering off of sleep feeding.

BUT, all I can say is that all babies, reflux or no reflux, are different. My nieces- who are non-refluxers- have been the tiniest babies weight wise. One of them was always super tall, but thin as a rail. The other one is shorter, but at 2 years old, she didn’t even weigh 20 pounds…. and her ped was NOT at all concerned… neither was my sister in law.

I know it’s hard not to worry about weight, we used to weigh Hailey all the time. But I think it’s more important to look at the behaviour. If she’s happy and thriving and developing and eating fine for her, then I’d just take it all as part of the package… that she’s not a big baby, but she’s the size that she should be. If she’s not in pain and not sick, then babies are born with the abilities to self regulate to take in what they need to be the size they should be.

At a year, they don’t need 16 ounces of formula anyhow. It’s 16 oz of fluid maximum, including water etc. Our ped says no more than 8-12 ounces of milk or formula at a year (not that I listen!).

The funny thing is that I never thought twice about weight with Sarah. She was always so rolly polly and I never realized that people had to worry about how much their kids weigh. Then along came Hailey and all I did was worry about her growth and development. Now I don’t think as much about Hailey’s weight, but I’m back to worrying about Sarah’s… I’m afraid that she’s going to have weight issues when she’s older b/c she’s 4 years old and weighs 43 pounds and is starting to look a bit chubby to me. I guess there’s always something to worry about. HUGS.

[Anonymous]

Lori,

4 years and 43lbs sounds pretty good to me. I don’t think you have to worry too much. Easier said than done, I know. My nephew just turned 4 and is a whopping 84lbs. The doc put him on a diet and exercise routine. He was a refluxer that was a total comfort eater and was always off the charts. And junk food and his mother allowing him to eat all day long pushed him even further off. His mom is getting down to business with healthy food and a exercise (sioccer, swim, etc) every day.

And your doc says 8 – 12 oz milk? Gabby would probably be willing to do that in a sippy cup. Hmmmm….. My doc says 16 – 24 oz milk plus added dairy. I guess I’m have to start researching toddler diet.

[Anonymous]

Kathy, Sarah will be 4 at the end of September. I just worry b/c she’s started to get a sweet tooth and wants to eat junk food all the time. Because Hailey’s been on a high calorie diet, Sarah’s been getting some not so great foods too. Now things that she used to eat like fruits and veggies are a battle. Hopefully your nephew can get on track with his new diet/exercise program.

Our doc is wierd about the fluid intake. He hates juice, and always used to tell us not to let them have too much milk/formula at that age or they wouldn’t take their solids well. But I never worried to listen to him too much. With Hailey, he even said that he didn’t want her on more than 16 ounces of formula a day. I personally think 8 is low, but 12-16 is completely fine if she’s also eating other dairy products for Calcium.

I just checked my favourite feeding book- “Child of Mine: feeding your child with love and good sense”, by Ellyn Satter. She seems to be on track with your ped, so I’m going to have to grill mine next time I see him! She says that children age 1-3 need 500mg calcium per day. 1 cup of milk offers about half of that. She also says though that children 1 year old should aim for 16 oz of milk a day, and that can be on the lower side if they eat more calcium rich foods.

[Anonymous]

Lori,

Could you tell me some of your high calorie foods that you give Hailey? Gabby just won’t eat much of anything solidswise. She’s fine with eating but she is very picky and only eats a portion of what I give her. For example, for lunch today she ate half a gerber graduate entree with noodles, chicken pieces, and peas (only 110 cal for the whole thing) and 1/4 cup applesauce. She drank 1 oz milk. She loves avocado, macaroni and cheese, and pieces of cheese, but she would live on these if I’d allow it.

I must confess that I did end up sleep feeding gabby for a while, even after her meds were upped. She had a stigma with the bottle and she would NOT take it willingly from 7 – 11ish months. We are finally back on track with the bottle and she takes 3 bottles from 3 – 6 oz at a time (always at least 14 oz from the bottle plus more from the cup). I don’t know if losing the sleep feeding hurt her weight because when we sleep fed her, she took 6 oz every time. How is Hailey doing now with eating? I’m worried I set her up with some negative feelings towards food, but I was so desperate to get her to eat during those long months.

GabbysMom2007-08-09 14:46:58

[Anonymous]

Kathy,

Hailey’s pretty much at the age now where she’ll eat what she likes, but still in small amounts, and there’s no way I can force her to eat what she doesn’t want to. She has a small repetoire at this point consisting of pasta, mac and cheese, cheese, yogurt, corn, rice, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, soy milk, tofu, ice cream, chips, cookies. That’s about it. She won’t eat a vegetable, and even from this list, it’s hit or miss. I try to add butter and oil to everything I can to get extra calories in. She’s also still on formula and will be until age 3.

I’ve learned through all this that there’s no looking back and no point in worrying about what-ifs. I often wondered if I damaged Hailey by sleep feeding her, but it was that or the tube. I don’t think that I damaged her, and I don’t think that you hindered Gabby in any way either. I did it b/c there was no other way.

Portion sizes for Gabby’s age are pretty small, so I’d try not to worry. If you are though, you can always ask for a referral to a pediatric nutritionist to help you out. Good luck.

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