My 2 yr old is not overweight!! RANT

[bananabee]

Just came home from a doctor appt...my DD's 2 yr check up. She weighed in at 22 lbs 15 oz, she is 32 1/2 inches tall, and her head circumference is 48cm. 

Mind you, this was right after lunch and drinking about 8 oz of water, diaper was off, and right before we left, she pooped in the potty (yippee!!). So, c'mon! She easily could have lost a pound and a half before walking out the door. Now I wish I had asked them to re-weigh her. 

The doctor wrote her numbers down for me, with percentiles, told me she was concerned about her weight gain, and almost refused to sign the WIC paper that allows DD to keep getting whole milk after she turned 2. 

Fyi, I am 115 lbs, and have never been heavy except while breastfeeding AND drinking milkshakes every day. I lose weight unless I consciously eat to gain. She is a high energy child, very active, good sleeper, and not a big eater unless she REALLY likes something AND she's very hungry. So odd. 

Anyway, for height, she is in the 10%, weight 25%, and head circ 75%. She just turned 2. Even if her weight is accurate, it sounds to me like she's probably due for a height growth spurt any day now. We go back in 6 mos, so we shall see. I'll make an earlier appt then and she'll probably be too skinny based on her height and they'll want me to butte everything she eats. 

What do you mamas think?

Also, her iron today was 11.6, and at 1 yr old it was just under 11, but the WIC office sent that info to her previous doctor, and he had a COW that I was "still" breastfeeding and she was not eating a ton of solids. He stressed that low iron could affect her intelligence and me breastfeeding her was having a negative impact on her appetite (nevermind that we didn't have air conditioning and it was 100 degrees much of that summer...so not like I was going to be cooking), but was reluctant to give her an iron supplement. That, and other things like the fact he refused to test her lead levels even though we had only lived in homes built in the 1930s, AND the fact her iron had been slightly low...

Mind-boggling considering he tested my best friend's two children at 1 yr and they lived in a nice new house, ate meat, fish, tons of beans, lots of veggies, etc. But when I asked him to test DD based on my concerns, he brushed me aside saying "Did she eat any old paint recently?" Then when I thought she had strep, he treated her for thrush, then told me if it didn't go away, she probably had DIPTHERIA!! 

So we switched doctors at HIS request (not that I would ever have gone back there). And finally, after a year of having wacky insurance issues, we finally got established with a new doctor, and I think she's good, but I get the feeling she thinks I'm a little nuts already...wanting to keep a TWO YEAR OLD on whole milk instead of 2%. Yeah, crazy. Not wanting to vax my TWO YEAR OLD who has barely been sick ever, but who has more than likely inherited my autoimmune issues, one of which is narcolepsy, and now there is actual research going on since the last couple of years have shown surges in the occurrence of narcolepsy in children 4 yrs old to 19 yrs old Scandinavia who received the Pandremix swine flu vaccine...which is causing a real tizzy in the autoimmune world of research. When I shared that with the doctor, she basically said that it sounded made up. I've been told in the past that I surprise people with how much smarter I am than they thought at first impression, so maybe that is part of the issue. 

When I said I wanted to wait on vaxing until more research came out because narcolepsy has a devastating effect on a person's life, she said "Well, so does polio." I hate it when doctors are so sure of themselves. Is she going to go look up what I talked about? Nope. She'll go to bed tonight thinking to herself, "No wonder that crazy single narcoleptic mom is divorced." 

*sigh*

[RJ11]

My DD just turned 2 last month and weighed in at 32 pounds at her check up! She has never had one sip of cow's milk - all breast milk and still going. When the ped said she is in the 90th% for weight and I need to make sure she only drinks low fat milk from now on I just smiled and nodded. I didn't want to get into it. BTW my 5 year old son only weighs 34 pounds!!! They eat the same - except the breast milk. Genes are funny things even in the same family. Why do you have to tell her you are going to stay with whole milk? You should just do what you think is best for your DD!

I'm slowly discovering some strange neurological issues that run in the family so I too am delaying vax (started on schedule than stopped at 4 months) My son had all his on time and was a late talker and has a few other issues we are dealing with. Again, do what you think is best! I really hate that polio comment! At least be professional about it Dr.!! Mine is cool, she says, well as long as you are aware of the risks. I suggest you keep searching until you find a pediatrician you are truly comfortable with. :)
 

[bananabee]

I really can't keep searching, due to our insurance...super long story but not worth getting into. It took several months to get this doctor to be "in network" after leaving the last nutjob, who was the only "in network" provider and I can't afford the fees if we go to someone else. 

I wouldn't have brought up milk at all except WIC (a program that gives vouchers for milk, cheese, bread, cereal, and a few other things each month) used to stop whole milk at age 2, but recently began allowing it if a doctor would sign a letter stating it was fine or necessary for a particular child. 

Thing is, DD doesn't necessarily even have milk every single day anyway. Just depends on how much we have left and what else is going on, since we are rather poor and I'm limited with when I can drive, not to mention being a single mom and juggling everything including a potty training toddler's schedule, so some days we don't get back to the grocery store and end up with creative cooking from the pantry. She does eat yogurt and cheese everyday, so it's not a big deal but it just struck me as odd that DD is suddenly borderline heavy when not that long ago she was "perfect" on her growth curve, and now suddenly her head is enormous (75%!!)but her weight is indicative of her getting fat. Like, are you kidding me? 

Weirdest thing is my neighbor's daughter is 33 inches tall, 23 lbs, and their doctor is having her tested for growth hormone deficiency and trying to make her drink pediasure and other stuff to help her grow/gain weight. SHE IS 26 MONTHS OLD. Just 2 MONTHS older than my DD. She also gets speech therapy, but says about 300 words more than my DD does. My DD's doctor asked "Does she talk much?" I said, "Oh yeah, she says thinks like "Go pway!!" and "Uh oh!"and "Yay!!!"

How can two kids be soooooo similar and yet diagnosed so differently? OR are the doctors looking more at the parents (my neighbor had/still has to some degree some speech issues) and deciding we must be idiots therefore need extra managing. Or do we just not have anything else to be worried, and they want us to keep bringing these healthy kids in? Who knows. 

[Just1More]

Did you mean to type 22lbs?  Because that sounds underweight to me, by a lot.  My ds weighed that by about 6m old, and all of mine have by a year...

[mamazee]

I think doctors are more worried about this than they used to be. My now-slim 10-year-old was a chubby toddler, but at her 2-year visit the pediatrician said not to worry about her weight as she'd grow and was eating healthy food and still breastfeeding. But OTOH my 3-year-old a year ago was not as chubby as the older one had been, and the very same pediatrician said he was concerned about her weight. Whatever.

[Honey693]

That's crazy.  DD2 is 21lbs at 18 months and her doctor was worried about her being underweight and told me to keep both my kids (3.5 and 1.5) on full fat everything for awhile longer.  Your doctor just sounds awful.  Can you file a complaint with someone?  From what you're saying it honestly sounds like he's being negligent just b/c he doesn't like the fact that you're nursing.

[bananabee]

Originally Posted by Honey693 

That's crazy.  DD2 is 21lbs at 18 months and her doctor was worried about her being underweight and told me to keep both my kids (3.5 and 1.5) on full fat everything for awhile longer.  Your doctor just sounds awful.  Can you file a complaint with someone?  From what you're saying it honestly sounds like he's being negligent just b/c he doesn't like the fact that you're nursing.

That was the doctor we agreed to part ways with. I think he was on the verge of a mental breakdown...I know his wife was pregnant at the time and he himself was born and raised in a 3rd world country, plus he was also my doctor (wanted me back on my meds though he was fairly ignorant about my sleep disorder) and he was my alcoholic ex-husband's doctor who tried to meddle in our marriage/divorce but clearly took xh's side...so I assumed he believed all the horrible things he said about me, but he wouldn't even listen to me for a minute when I tried to describe what was going on. 

Anyway, he's not anti breastfeeding, he's just anti-vaxing and very pro-daddy rights (which so am I!) and he assumed b/c xh clearly hated me and spoke so bitterly about me, that I must be just as anti-him and that I would make all these decisions unilaterally, not even updating xh on what the doctor visits were about. When in fact, I had discussed and updated xh at every turn, except for the same month our divorce was about to be final in b/c I didn't want to have any discussion while emotions were high and he was so bent on viewing me as manipulative.

This new doctor wasn't exactly calling DD overweight, but she was hesitant to let her stay on whole milk due to how her growth had suddenly taken a turn for heavier. But her head is in the 75%, so wouldn't we assume that some of the significant weight gain was there? And not in her thighs? Plus she is all muscle from being such an active kiddo on the playground. She's a little monkey (so was I) climbs everything she can. 

Not only that, but she is the most happy social gentle sweet wild curious little child I have ever known, and she is totally the opposite in the doctor's office b/c they are holding her down, measuring her, putting things in her ears and up to her eyes. She freaks out. Today they took blood and she will never forget they did that. She kept trying to escape the whole time we were there, even when her diaper was off to weigh her. LOL The nurse was running one way and I was going the other. It was ridiculous. 

Tonight my neighbors and I were laughing over how their doctor wrote "failure to thrive" on their daughter's referral to some specialist, and how ours was hinting that DD is a little too heavy, when they are 2 mos apart, the same weight, and half an inch difference in height. Just ridiculous.  
 

[Sharlla]

wow that's messed up.  dd is 32 in and 26 lbs and she's very thin.   that's not even that high on the percentile chart. i would def get a new dr

not fat

[onyxravnos]

if baby weighs in at 25% on the chart then..... that is not a fat baby.... sure maybe if she was 70 - 100% but she sounds normal to me. You said you cant switch but maybe there is a NP or another ped in the same office you could try then the insurance should be the same.

[Sharlla]

and according to the baby growth percentile calculator she is between percentile 10 and 25 in length and between percentile 5 and 10 in weight so i have no idea where she got those numbers anyway

[jrose_lee]

My ds is about 22 lbs and he's only 5 months old.  It was the same with my older two boys as well.  Babies/Toddlers are meant to be chubby.  They slim out quick around three years old.  Sounds like you're doing great, mama!  Healthy fats are great for kids. 

[bananabee]

Originally Posted by Sharlla 

and according to the baby growth percentile calculator she is between percentile 10 and 25 in length and between percentile 5 and 10 in weight so i have no idea where she got those numbers anyway

You are so right!! WEIRD!! No wonder I was so confused sitting there talking to her. Well, crap. She must have written the numbers in the wrong spots, or her nurse did. Haha. I hate it when doctors make mistakes and I have to correct them. But even so, just LOOKING at DD, you can see she is no where near a fat child. She is a perfectly dainty child.

I have to go back to pick up the pack of baby wipes I left there, so maybe I will pop in and mention it to the nurse so that she can correct it in DD's file. So stupid. Wish I had internet on my cellphone so I could have looked it up while I was sitting there. 

Originally Posted by jrose_lee 

My ds is about 22 lbs and he's only 5 months old.  It was the same with my older two boys as well.  Babies/Toddlers are meant to be chubby.  They slim out quick around three years old.  Sounds like you're doing great, mama!  Healthy fats are great for kids. 

Absolutely! I even pointed out to the doctor how women in my family are prone to anxiety and that more fat in the diet helps with that. Then she wanted me to supplement DD w/fish oils which I can't afford! But we do eat plenty of fish, so that was satisfying to her, but WHY would I supplement a 2 yr old instead of giving her whole foods? There is no history of fat children in our families anywhere. 

I almost mentioned that I drank raw milk for two years, including the entire time I was pregnant. So neener neener. Seriously, 4% or 2% fat in milk...I find it ridiculous WIC even differentiates. It's the Happy Meals at McDonalds and drinking straight sugar everyday while sitting on couches watching overstimulating cartoons that makes kids fat (b/c even boredom burns more calories than watching TV). FAT itself burns, especially in active children. I did tell her I use coconut oil when I make muffins and pancakes, and she said she doubted it's a healthy fat. Really? Okay....guess I'll switch back to shortening and margarine! 

[AdinaL]

Just chiming in to say that my daughter was 22lbs at 6 months. She is now 6, just about 48" tall, and weighs about 50lbs.  She is not fat, in the least.  In fact, I have trouble getting her size 6 pants to stay on her butt.   When she was a baby/toddler, she was off the charts.  I should add that she never drank milk, so I doubt your choice of whole milk is making a ton of difference. Sounds like you are doing fine and your daughter is doing what she is supposed to. :)

[maydaymom10]

Wow - we must both have "husky" kids ;)  DS is 22 lbs as well (23 months). At his 2-year appointment the pedi was thrilled at his growth (especially weight) & the fact that he WAS on the charts. I honestly don't think you have anything to worry about. Is there a possibility of getting a second opinion as far as the WIC requirement is concerned?

[bananabee]

Well, I think the doctor was just looking at the numbers wrong. My DD has been wearing 18 mos clothes, which an overweight 2 yr old could not possible do. I filled out a form requesting DD's former crazy doctor's records to I dunno, shake things up. That should at least be food for conversation when we go in next time.

[newmamalizzy]

Was there a huge increase in your daughters size from last visit to this one?  Like, was she in the 0th percentile and now she's in the 25th?  Or something?  Definitely sounds like some sort of miscommunication to me. 
 

[bananabee]

Nope, this was her first real appt with this doctor. We did go in a few weeks ago when she was sick, but had never seen the doctor before then. She hadn't had a regular checkup in over 6 mos since we were waiting on getting the insurance worked out with this office. I don't remember what her numbers were last time. But even if that were the case, just looking at her, esp w/o her clothes on as she was, she's pretty petite, thin and muscular. She looks just perfect to me. Very healthy and normal. Not even much baby fat on her. Here...not the best photo of her, but you can see she's not big for a 2 yr old (these are pigmy goats lol):

[AdinaL]

She looks utterly normal sized. And also, super adorable. 

[sk8boarder15]

She sounds very very average to me..... :/ 

[Youngfrankenstein]

Originally Posted by mamazee 

I think doctors are more worried about this than they used to be. My now-slim 10-year-old was a chubby toddler, but at her 2-year visit the pediatrician said not to worry about her weight as she'd grow and was eating healthy food and still breastfeeding. But OTOH my 3-year-old a year ago was not as chubby as the older one had been, and the very same pediatrician said he was concerned about her weight. Whatever.

We saw a back up dr with my dd's check up before kindy.  She is skinny!  The dr said we should switch to 2% milk.  It was nutty.  I don't "believe in" eating and drinking low fat dairy.  But it was such an odd, out of the blue thing.

I can't believe that whole milk and dairy in a normal diet is making everyone fat.