Our Ped said she isn't gaining enough weight.

[RubyV]

We had our 15 mo well baby checkup yesterday, and I was told that she isn't gaining enough weight. At 12 mos, she was 28 1/4", and 19lbs 2oz. Yesterday, she was 29 3/4", and 19lbs, 6oz. She had also been sick the week before and not eating anything, just nursing so I"m sure she lost weight.

Now, I"m very small. So small that as a kid, the drs. wanted my mom to consent to growth hormones. I"m now 4'11", and didn't crack 115 until I was pg. I know weigh 110.

DH is 5'6", and was a very small toddler as well.

I think that she has hit her genetic norm. She looks great to us. Not quite as pudgy as she was 2 months ago, but she's definately taller.

The lists of foods given to increase calories was stupid, especially since she is allergic or intolerant to almost all of it, and the amount of sugar in many of the foods was frightening.

I want my child healthy. Who doesnt? But those stupid charts that peds live by suck. Head and height have consistanly been in the 25%. Her weight was also, but that dropped to the 5th, which I think was due to being sick. He ped wants bi weekkly weight checks.

I want to educate her about the norm that is the breastfed toddler. She was upset that Dev nurses 5-8x a day.

All the breastfed baby growth charts stop and 12 mos. I"m finding excellent reports, but I need some quick, hard hitting evidence for this twit.

I"m so frustrated.

[RubyV]

I was also told that she should be walking, scribbling with crayons, and drinking from a lidless cup. Huh?

[Mama2ABCD]

this link explains why the current charts are overestimated. check it out.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4236229.stm

i think you know more than your ped!

[BklynJen]

Hi Ruby,

Maybe it's time to switch Peds?

I don't even know where to begin. I'm pretty sure that the "normal" range for beginning to walk is between 9mo-18mo. Weight gain tends to slow after a year. Why a lidless cup? I can't say that I know one adult or even older child who requires a lid on a cup because their parents didn't push a lidless one on them as toddlers. The crayon thing just sounds ridiculous. Honestly, the whole thing sounds nuts!

I say switch to a new Ped!

[RubyV]

We have to see the peds at the campus heath center. I"ve blown thorugh most of them already. There is only one that I haven't tried yet. Blech.

The last one wantedto give her 8 oz of cow's milk to see how sick she would get. She couldn't understand why I said no.

[captain optimism]

We confronted weight issues and probably will again. Our pediatrician only cares about my son's weight in relation to himself--that is, whether he gains from one visit to the next. He realized that my dh is on the small side so that ds might be too. He also didn't hassle us about our diet, only advised us to increase the amount of fat in each meal and to nurse after meals. In fact when I asked if I should give him more junky stuff, he said no--he likes it that my son is into normal food like vegetables and would rather that we not put weight on him by feeding him junk.

My son didn't walk until 18 months and we were freaked, but he was on the way at 15 months, and I think your dd is too. I don't know what that business about the lidless cup and the crayons is all about. My son could drink from a lidless cup at that age, but would not do so unless he was in the bathtub. (and could drink the yummy bathwater. ) I suppose he might have been able to scribble with crayons, but I totally don't remember if we gave him some by then or not. If you want to find out if your dd will, come over to my house and she can play with ds's crayons, we have some washable ones from the drugstore.

[RubyV]

MIght take you up on that. I just think crayons at this age are useless.

No wonder so many people skip the visits.

And the research continues on...

[Felicitymom]

What a twit... of a ped! It sounds like you are completely in touch with your baby and know what is best. I am happy that you are not questioning yourself as soooooooo many people do when a doctor gives advice. And to me... the weight gain seems fine with all that you said.

Since switchnig peds is not an option... I would 'let it go'. that is to say don't take on the task of educating the doctor. Too much energy... too much frustration. Just keep yourself grounded and educate your self on how best to get what you want from hiim/her in the future should you find yourself back in their office for a visit.

Nancy

[carrietorgc]

just a comment on the lidless cups - my mom is the office admin for a group of peds (bfing friendly ones too!) and they suggest that since in some kids with short eustacian tubes, the prevalence of valve sippy cups can lead to more ear infections.

[Peony]

We've gone through this with dd as well, I just stopped going to a pedi. We have a great ND that we see every now and then, but that's it. DD is small, 2 and 21 lbs, but I am small as well, along with dh, so it's not like she is going to be in the 95% . As long as dd is growing I don't worry, she grows, but just not according to those charts they have.

[Shenjall]

ugh. stupid ped. btdt.

didnt I read somewhere not too long ago that kids above the 85% for weight are at a higher risk for childhood obesity? I'm positive I read that somewhere. Now I must go search so we can use it to throw in some ped faces!

btw my dd is 2 and about 26 -28 lbs. (I think). shes been in the low-mid 20's range since 1 yr. but she keeps growing out of her clothes, so something must be right!

[LorrieJ]

I have been getting the same comments. My dd is 22 months and 20 lbs. however, she was 8lb 13oz at birth! She is just starting to thin out now and she eats a large quantity of very healthy food. I keep wondering if these charts are based on the children that are taken to McDonald's for their meals! Good point about the bf'ing after meals. My dd always asks for milk after she eats and we were told by a ped (who wants me to wean her cold turkey) to definately discontinue the after eating nursing. I wasn't going to follow that advice anyway but now you helped me feel better about continuing it. My dd can't tolerate milk and they also told me to give her dairy because she needs the fat. So I should make her butt and stomache hurt so she can gain wait?! Huh?

going to read kirstie's link right now.

[TiredX2]

First, most babies level off with their weight as they start moving more. DD *lost* once ounce between 10-15 months. She just grew taller and her head grew. Accd to our ped, the *last* concern is weight gain---- develpmental milestones, head growth & height are all bigger concerns/warning signs. Since DD had no issues there, it was not a concern.

I was also told that she should be walking, scribbling with crayons, and drinking from a lidless cup. Huh?

According to the AAP guidelines, not walking becomes an issue at 18 months.
Have you offered her crayons?
I don't think the lidless cup is for *general* use, but from what I have been told there is a different swallowing action w/a "normal" cup than a sippy cup (having to do with water flow) and it is generally easier for kids to perfect it if they are introduced to a cup earlier than later.

[RubyV]

I"ve never given her a crayon

[artgoddess]

I agree that you can just take what your ped says with a grain of salt. Let her know that you are th parent and while you are happy to listen to her suggestions, you have the responsability as a parent to makes choices based on what you feel is right for your child, not a chart. I hate that she said things to you like she should be sqribbling, or should be drinking from a lidless cup.

Our son "shrank" 1/2 in length from the 6 month to the 9 month appointment, the nurses didn't think it was funny, but boy did DH, myself and the Ped get a good laugh out of it. Becuase it's all just estimates with babies, you can't say wt or ht for sure with them wiggling around. One time I go, the nurse weighs him with his wet cloth diaper on the next time he's naked and had a really big BM in the morning, there are so many variables, and we are just talking ounces here. I gain 3 whole pounds in one day from 8 am before breakfast to 10 pm after dinner.

At our 13 month appointment with the new Ped, he asked all those questions like does he sqribble, I just srugged, and said "I don't know, I'm not giving him anything to write with, he'd just put it in his mouth anyawy" He smiled and said "That's fine". So maybe you can just smile at your Ped and nod and say "That's fine." when she asks if your DD is doing any of those milestone things.

[Marsupialmom]

I agree with TiredX about the lidless cups. There is difference in swallowing and other motor skills. There is many motor skills involved in drinking that most do not think about. I have been around “Normal” kids that have not been allowed to use regular cups that have been hindered development (these were extreme cases). Kids that don’t know about sitting cups flat so they don’t spill. I have seen 4 year olds sputter and choke off of normal cups.

Carrietorgc-- My ENT and regular doctor would agree with your mom. Our dentist complain about them also.

Not walking yet I would not worry as long as they are mobile some other way, rolling, crawling, et.

My youngest didn’t weigh more than 24lbs at 2. The doctor didn’t worry much because neither did my older daughter. The first time he saw my middle child he looked at her weight, looked at my son and said “Genetics” moved on.

Crayons are not necessarily useless at that age. It helps with motor skills later. It also can keep them occupied for a while. Giving scissors to a 2 year old seems useless also but once you look at the big pictures you see how it helps them in the long run.

[RubyV]

Originally Posted by Marsupialmom

I agree with TiredX about the lidless cups. There is difference in swallowing and other motor skills. There is many motor skills involved in drinking that most do not think about. I have been around “Normal” kids that have not been allowed to use regular cups that have been hindered development (these were extreme cases). Kids that don’t know about sitting cups flat so they don’t spill. I have seen 4 year olds sputter and choke off of normal cups.

I actually understand that. She does drink from a cup, just not all the time. I don't feel like mopping a dozen times a day.

Well baby checkup, imo, are starting to become like BabySATs.

"OMG! Baby can't do (insert x skill here)? Well, if they don't do it NOW, they'll never get into a good preschool, which means they won't get into a good grade school, which means they will never get into a good prep school, and they'll wind up a college dropout, crawling forever, drinking from sippy cups not knowing how to color." :LOL

One one hand, it's great that drs. are so much more aware of developmental delays, and able to get children help early and often. On the other, I think they are a tad bit obssessed with charts, scales, etc. They have ceased to view the whole child, and view children as grids to be checked off.

[GhabrielsMommy]

My son is 16 months, he weighs 20.1lbs Yes, he is on the small side. His ped cares only that he gains weight from visit to visit. While she says that his size can be partially contributed to genetics, she also says other factors are involved; such as length of sleep. Children do most of their growing in their sleep, the less they sleep, the less they grow. My son, who is an avid Nap Protestor, is a perfect example of this. When he was 9 months, we weighed 12 lbs, between that appt and the 12 month one, he came down with a double ear infection due to teething. For about a week he nursed and slept almost around the clock, after the first few days, he showed improvement health-wise, but still slept constantly due to the medication he was on. At his twelve month appt he was 18lbs.

I would look for a new ped.

[ajsgirl]

My ds is going to be 2 in less than 2 weeks and has always been small. Both my dh and I are small people (me: 5'2", dh: 5'6"). I don't think he's gained more than a couple of pounds this whole past year, but he's gained several inches in height! And he's always been in the less than 5th %ile. I wouldn't worry, unless your dc isn't eating or something.

[Mommy To Baby Roni]

I'm sorry I didn't have time to read all the replies first, but it's really late for me.

But those stupid charts that peds live by suck. Head and height have consistanly been in the 25%. Her weight was also, but that dropped to the 5th

This happened and my DD was not sick. She was only about 18lbs at 12 mos. old. She's always been a little bean pole, but healthier than any other child she's around. My ped, thankfully, never had an issue with weight at her 18-mo. appt, when she only weighed about 19lbs. She's 27 mos. and is only about 23lbs. She's healthy, she's growing, she's eating, she's happy. What more could I possibly ask for? I'd skip the visits altogether if your DD is healthy. You don't need the unnecessary pressure.

Have you looked at the growth charts on kellymom.com? They have growth charts for bf babies. While my DD fell off the conventional chart, she's at about the 5th percentile, as I recall, on the bf chart. DH's family is small. DD was only 6lb, 10oz at birth. Go take a hot bath and relax! You're doing a great job!