hi again guys. i am posting again about my skinny baby now skinny toddler. i had stopped worrying for awhile, but am at it again. i read stuff on the internet from mom's with babies the same size as abby, and they are seeing GI specialists, getting feeding tubes, etc. i see stuff saying that even if they are active and developmentally on target, that if she isn't growing her brain isn't growing.
here is abby's growth info
birth 5lbs 6oz 18"
6 mos 15lbs 8oz
12 mos 17lbs even
18 mos 18lbs 13oz 32"
she still breastfeeds around the clock and only eats a little solids. she will eat just about everything, but only in small amounts. even when she is not with me, she is just not a big eater, so i know it isn't because she is getting full of breastmilk.
i just worry so much that i am doing something wrong for her. she is very active. has always been slightly ahead developmentally. she is happy and healthy. everyone always comments on how active and bright she is. but, they also always say she is so petite.
i am trying to get her to drink some soy milk during the day since she doesn't like whole milk or goat's milk. i also give her egg, avocado and anything else she will eat that is good for her.
any suggestions? should i get her checked out by a doctor? i don't want to put her through blood tests and stuff if she is just petite and has a high metabolism. i eat like a horse and stay the same weight. i am 5'5 and 135. my DH is 5'9" and was always thin as a kid, but not doesn't have that problem. LOL. my dad is a stick, always has been at 5'10" and 145lbs. he can't gain weight even if he tries.
Your Abby sounds like she's following in my Danielle's footsteps. Danielle weaned herself at 16 mnths though (that broke my heart) Anyway, she will be 3 in April and she weighs in at a whopping 22 pounds. She eats very little, she's the pickiest eater I've ever seen in my life, drinks milk, juice, etc. is VERY active, talks non-stop (even in her sleep!) is smart as a whip. Our doctor had us go in for tests because she is so small but after all was said and done - I just have a petite little girl. She's healthy, happy, and when she isn't being terrible two, she's a joy to be around. Don't worry too much, people often comment on how tiny Danielle is, as long as she's happy and healthy I'm fine with it.
My 22 month old is tiny too. She weighs 20 pounds. She is 32.5 inches. I just took her in to the ped for a weight check b/c in Sept. the doc was a little concerned. Over those months she gained a pound and grew an inch. He seems to think she is just petite and since she is growing everything is ok. I can't help but worry sometimes too. My dd is healthy, never had anything more than roseola or a cold. She is talking in 2-3 word phrases and can feed herself, and runs. So I know developmentally she is right on target. I try to feed her the best I can afford right now. I am right there with you though, worrying.. geez now I am worrying again with you talking about reading about their brain not growing..
I'd like to hear about more skinny toddlers..
oh yeah and i wanted to add, that Zoe was the same way.. she breastfed almost around the clock, and just picked at food, until just recently, because I am pregnant. Her eating has *really* picked up since nursing has cut down.
thanks for sharing your stories about your petite kiddos. i look at abby and think she is just fine. i really think she is just following in my footsteps and her grandpas. i was sooo skinny as a child. always tall and thin. in high school i finally filled out a little bit.
but, there is this nagging inner voice that tells me that i am not doing something right or she would be gaining weight better. the lactation consultant at my work figured out that she is gaining approximately 1 oz a week. we couldn't find any guidelines as to what a toddler should be gaining. anyone know what the guidelines are?
i am going to keep a food diary for a week for her and see how it goes. so far today, she has had 1/2 an avocado, a little bit of soy milk, one veggie chicken nugget and has nursed 1 or 2 times. that is a lot of food for her, more than she usually eats. probably because i keep bugging her.
well, i would love to hear from more mom's of skinny babes. and if anyone knows how many ounces kids gain a week from 12-24 months.
Originally posted by mat4mel geez now I am worrying again with you talking about reading about their brain not growing..
I'd like to hear about more skinny toddlers..
i'm sorry. don't want to worry you. i just read too much sometimes. i just figure her brain must be growing or she wouldn't be bilingual and using signs also, or running, etc. still, that little worry wort in me just can't stop worrying...
abby had roseola and a cold too. actually we had the flu around here and she made it through with a breeze.
I also have a skinny toddler. Fiona was 7 lbs. 15 oz when born and at almost 16 months, now weighs about 17 lbs. Both my dh and I are of slender builds as are grandparents for the most part so I just figure she is gonna be tiny no matter what. She is extremly active and always has been. She started rolling over at 8 weeks and was walking by 10 months. I do worry every once in a while but she seems to beign doingso well that I try not to get crazy. She still nurses some and I express milk for her during the day when I am at work. I have found it helpful to have lots of little snacky bits around like beans, pieces of cheese and fruit and I make sure that I offer it to her alot during the day. I think she gets so busy that she forgets to eat sometimes! I'm lucky that our ped. is mellow and does not seem to be worried about her size at all. He says that there isn't a lot of material there, but it is all really high quality lol.
My Zander is a skinny toddler, too, so please don't worry anymore! At 15mos he weighs 19lbs 4oz & is 31" tall. He weighed 8lbs 14oz when he was born, so we thought we'd have a Gigantor baby. He's very, very active & developmentally on target. The only time he's still is when he's asleep, & even that's not a guarantee.
He also has my mom's (and my) metabolism. Apparently, my mom was so skinny as a child (she was nicknamed Olive Oyl), my Grandmother took her to the doctor to see what was wrong w/her. Oh yeah, Z's a picky eater, too & breastfed, & hates cow's milk. Mealtimes used to be stressful 'cos I was so worried about him & eating. The ped. recommended Pediasure to try to fatten him up at our 1yr visit. I don't blame him for projectile spitting it out the second it touched his tongue - that stuff's icky.
I'm relaxed about it all now - he's just a skinny little boy who's pants would fall off if he didn't wear diapers! :LOL
Anne~ i like what your ped said about not a lot of material there, but high quality!
B52~ My ped suggested Pediasure too. nasty stuff. you think they could make it taste good. I had to laugh at the diapers thing. None of Abby's jeans would fit if she didn't wear cloth diapers!!
I've got a skinny one too. She's 28 months and weighs about 25 lbs.
Good news...when she grows out of all these cute "older kids" clothes I got her and then took in because I was tired of baby clothes I'm going to donate them here on MDC. (she's out of diapers so clothes were a joke)
Pediasure...is nasty!! The only flavor in stock was vanilla. I tasted it, of course. My MIL asked what it tasted like. "Vanilla chemicals." Well, kinda like those funky canned diet shakes, but she's never had them so she doesn't have that reference.
I have 4 cans of the junk sitting on top of the fridge.
When I first started reading this thread, you were so worried, I thought your toddler would be so tiny & skinny. Mine is just as small, LOL. Dd was 7lbs 15oz at birth, and was 14-14 at 6 months, 16-11 at 1 year and now at 19 months is 19lbs 1 oz & 31" tall (exactly the same as she was at 18 months).
When she fell off the chart at 9mo the pedi was concerned & checked for thyriod issues. Everything was fine, and now they just say 'she's tiny', LOL. She's little, but perfect. Her vocabulary is great, she's developing normally, so I don't worry anymore. Just remember, there are lots of different sized people in this world. Big, small, tall, short. If she's healthy, I wouldn't stress yourself.
My dd nurses many times/day/night, eats a large variety of foods, just a little of each thing. I let her decide how much she eats.
I have a skinny guy also. My ped recommended pedisure also, of course it was spit out and it made him sick. I now give him a mixture of rice milk and coconut milk for the extra fat instead of that pediasure junk. The coconut is very high in fats and is toddler taste approved.
Originally posted by B52Bombshell ......he's just a skinny little boy who's pants would fall off if he didn't wear diapers! :LOL
I'm always chasing Danielle around trying to pull her pants up. She's potty trained so I don't have the extra padding to hold them up - that and she has her daddy's butt, or lack of I should say :LOL
Originally posted by leelee ... The coconut is very high in fats and is toddler taste approved.
oooooo!!!! Why didn't I think of that? DOH!!! We love coconut in this house! I made coconut sorbet all summer long & gave DS some when we had it. He really likes a mango yogurt drink I get from a regional dairy farm (I drank a LOT of mango lassis when I was preg.) He also likes it if I mix milk with mango nectar. I'm gonna try the coconut.
She was 7/13 at birth. Now, at 19 months, she is about 18/8. She is 31 inches tall. She has never been a fat baby. She has had a few creases but never any rolls.
She exclusively breastfed for 12 months. Any cereal made her gag/puke. She finally started to eat a bit of solids just over her 12 month mark. Now, she eats like a horse! I have the book Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron. I have made all of her food fresh. She eats organic. I add flax seed oil to her cereal. She eats yogurt and avocados. She still breastfeeds alot. (like I can't sit down with out her asking to nurse!)
She was seen by a ped for a little rash and he diagnosed her as Failure To Thrive. That was alarming but he was a real freak too. There is a long story behind that. I'll tell it if you want to know. I followed up with her regular dr who thought things were fine.
I think you just have to go with your instincts. I feel that my dd is just fine. She is talking in 2-3 word sentences, has about a 50 word vocabulary, has great motor skills, is very good at problem solving and very pleasantly tempered. I'm not worried!
I have a skinny little guy to. He will be 4 in March and he barely weighs 28 pounds and is 38 inches tall. All my kids are small at this age. DD weighed 15 pounds at her 1 year check up.
thanks guys for all the reassurance and for letting me know that there are other babies out there the same size as abby. all the kids i know her age are much bigger and it makes her seem so small.
i will try the coconut milk since abby isn't going for the soy milk stuff at all. i still have to go to trader joes or sprouts to see if they have them in the little straw containers as she might go for that since it looks like the juice boxes she seems bigger kids with.
My kay is really small too.. I cant find her book now with 18 month weights.. but she has always been tiny.. shes 33 months now & weighs 24 lbs
shes very smart.. Healthy (only been sick once & never on antiobotics) ..& VERY active
her doctor has never worried.. he asked about my DH's size , 5'6 & 170 lbs, my MILs & SIL"s size, both 4'10 & around 100 lbs & said thats why she's small & probably always will be
Originally posted by Sherri S. Your Abby sounds like she's following in my Danielle's footsteps. Danielle weaned herself at 16 mnths though (that broke my heart) Anyway, she will be 3 in April and she weighs in at a whopping 22 pounds. She eats very little, she's the pickiest eater I've ever seen in my life, drinks milk, juice, etc. is VERY active, talks non-stop (even in her sleep!) is smart as a whip. Our doctor had us go in for tests because she is so small but after all was said and done - I just have a petite little girl. She's healthy, happy, and when she isn't being terrible two, she's a joy to be around. Don't worry too much, people often comment on how tiny Danielle is, as long as she's happy and healthy I'm fine with it.
Gosh, I could have written this thread about my DS. He is also 3 in April and weighs 22 lbs. He is also v. picky, talks non-stop adn runs around most of the time like a monkey on speed.
Mama2abby, we had the tests done as well, and Gabe was fine. The tests were really horrible, and the whole experience was very traumatic for all of us. They tried to force me to wean him (by threatening to put him in hospital and forec-feed him formula) and they made him go to this eating clinic and "make" him eat. I never forced eating on him as he was BFing constantly, and I didn't want him to grow up with food issues.
Anyway, I changed docs and his new doc is a lot more laid-back about it. He is happy and healthy. I knew all along he was. He ios just small, as his dad was when he was a tot. If I had followed my instincts I would have refused the tests. I would say the same to you- go with your gut. Your daughter eats which is great. If you think there may be a problem get her tested, if not, don't let them pressure you. Did she get the horrible "failure to thrive" label? Gabe did at 13 months (he was 16lbs) That is really horrible- I felt like the worst mother ever but I am over that now.
This thread is great. All these skinny tots! I have never met one as small as mine, but them seem to be a few contenders here!
my little one elwynn is 13 months and only 17 lbs. i sometimes get really worried about how small he is. my partner and i always call him out little fat guy-maybe just to reassure ourselves that hes fine. he's smart as a button almost walking. goes up and down stairs like a flash crawling. everyone thinks hes 6 months old and a girl cause hes got really curly blonde hair and big blue eyes. hes a picky picky eater and doesnt eat much at all. loves to nurse but he drinks whole organic milk from a sippy cup now too. its hard to have a small baby when there are so many big ones around but they are just who they are and beautiful and perfect! my doctor tried to tell me to get tests but i wont do that i know hes okay just the way he is. i guess our society is so used to these standards. there are standards for everything these days.but most of us dont fit those do we. neither do our kids.
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