My son's growth slowed WAY down...

[Amy Lachney]

I think this may be the first time I have posted here, and I know I shouldn't come on the web looking for medical advice, but my favorite nurse at the Ped office apparently has left since my son's 9 month check up and the new one didn't get back to me....

Anyway, my son was 21 1/4in long when he was born and 9lb 12oz, was 24in at 2mo check up, and 15lb, 26in at 4mo check up and 18lb 5oz, 26.25in at 6 month check up and 20.25lb, then at 9 months he was 21.5lb and 27.5in tall...so his height went from way above average, to below average...and he is still the same heigh  as his 9 month check up now at 11 months. 

My husband and I are tall people (6'1 and 5'8) and come from tall families. I am just wondering if anyone has ever had a child fall so far off their curve and then go on to kind of even out or something?

He is great developmentally, started walking the day he turned 8 months, happy all the time, eats well, sleeps all night as of a couple months ago, etc. He is right on track developmentally everywhere but his height, so I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything like this??

Our daughter is 2.5 yrs old and stayed perfectly on her curve since birth, so I am just freaking out a bit!

[MrsGregory]

Well, if you think there is something wrong, you should absolutely pursue that with your doctors.  That's first and foremost.  At our very first appointment my doctor urged me to always, always listen to my intuition when it came to my daughter.  There have been a couple times his nurse has needed to talk me down off the panic ledge so I could adequately assess her, but otherwise, if you've been getting to know your baby, well, guess what?  You know your baby!  So that's the first thing.

We are not large people.  Actually, ha, my family makes small women and huge men.  My little brother is a foot and an inch taller than me, and is nearly double my weight.  It's a running joke.  But my husband is 5'6", and suffice to say, he clears me by a head.  So you and I, our babies are not on the same curve.  However, I wanted to reassure you - my Little Miss entered the world at 8lbs 3ozs, 20 1/4 inches long (The biggest female baby my family has ever birthed, booyah for cheeseburgers for the last month straight!) and promptly tumbled down to what her doctor considered a perfectly appropriate spot on the charts given parental size. 

She also stalled out between 6months until her last visit at 15 months, I'd say at about 14 months she had a huge growth spurt.  It's so worrying!  She barely, barely grew in nearly 8 months, and imagine, I just watched her fall right off the bottom of that chart.  However, she was eating, developing, mobile and happy, and so there was no worry.  None.  Well, I was worried, but my family care office certainly wasn't.  And now she's back on the charts in a big way, right there in the middle, which is far better than we can expect from her!  She's HUGE!  MASSIVE!  I love it!  And I know it's going to go right back down again.

I've been reminded that human growth is usually all about punctuated equilibrium, and the parents are the best indicators of final adult size.

So perhaps your son is just taking a break?

You mention also that he's walking now, and that eats up all their calories, I think.  Try not to worry so hard.  I'm certain he's beautiful!

[Amy Lachney]

Thank you so much for sharing! I just don't even know if I suspect something is wrong, he is totally fine other than being a shortie! I guess I will try to brush it off and remember that it's practically genetically impossible for him to be short :-) (not that being short is a bad thing! I just was worried I was screwing something up nutritionally or something, even though I know I'm not!)

[BabySmurf]

My son didn't grow in height at about that same point either.  I can't remember his exact curve, but his weight was always in the 95+% and that has stuck, but height he is all over the map - I think his growth spurts just don't necessarily match up with the "typical" time tables, but he always catches up and then some.  I think from 9 months to 14-15 months DS grew very little in height, and he got really, really fat.  Then, almost overnight he grew like 4 inches, no joke.  It was unreal.  Growth charts are just guidelines, so try not to focus on the chart too much, and listen to your intuition instead . 

[Amy Lachney]

Thank you, thank you! I have a hunch it's just a weird growth thing and he will spurt eventually...I think boys in particular are prone to crazy growth spurts (high school boys anyone? lol) I appreciate yall's replies, and am feeling a bit better. Aside from making sure he is eating/drinking enough there is not really much else I can do one way or the other anyway!

[Laurucha]

Length measurements for babies are very inaccurate. Until they stand up straight on their own, it's just a rough estimate. Have you seen how they measure them? I'd say that the measurements could easily be 2-3 inches off. My 5 month old has actually gotten shrunk twice between visits, if you believe their measurements.