below the 3rd

I need some help with this. I'm not sure if I should be worried or not. My DD Alison is tiny. She was 5 lbs. at birth and had feeding issues early on that were related to a combination of reflux and low muscle tone. She is fine with bottles now and we're working with a speech therapist on her eating solids. My concern is that she's almost 11 months old and is not even 15 pounds yet. Her pedi and gastro docs said a while back that she may just be small, she's following her own curve, etc. But I just feel like there has to be something else going on. She's been on 24 calorie per ounce formula for 8 months and drinks a good amount each day. It just seems like she can't put on much weight. I don't know if it's because she wouldn't eat for the first 4 months of her life and as a result will always be behind or if there is something else going on. Has anyone else dealt with this? If so, what did you do, if anything??

Thanks, Beth

 

I need some help with this. I'm not sure if I should be worried or not. My DD Alison is tiny. She was 5 lbs. at birth and had feeding issues early on that were related to a combination of reflux and low muscle tone. She is fine with bottles now and we're working with a speech therapist on her eating solids. My concern is that she's almost 11 months old and is not even 15 pounds yet. Her pedi and gastro docs said a while back that she may just be small, she's following her own curve, etc. But I just feel like there has to be something else going on. She's been on 24 calorie per ounce formula for 8 months and drinks a good amount each day. It just seems like she can't put on much weight. I don't know if it's because she wouldn't eat for the first 4 months of her life and as a result will always be behind or if there is something else going on. Has anyone else dealt with this? If so, what did you do, if anything??

Thanks, Beth

 

Hi Beth,

Both my guys were never on the curve, but always followed their own growth curve. They did have times where they didn't gain especially when they became more active. They never lost weight though. So all those things combined and they were happy and healthy my pedi never worried. They didn't hit the growth curve until they were 3 I know at their one year check up Nathan was about 14lbs 7oz and jacob was about 15lbs 2 oz. It sounds like they are monitoring Alison well so that is good. HTH Keep us posted.

 

My boys aren't usually on the growth chart either, and if they do manage to get on it, they're never above the 3rd percentile. My pedi is not happy with me, however. If it makes you feel better my niece "L" weighed about 19 lbs when she was 1 and she is doing great (she's now 2). She just never had much of an appetite. I can't tell you whether you should be worried or not, maybe your mommy instincts are trying to tell you something?

 

Our post on Failure to thrive a few weeks back might have some insight.

 

Beth, I agree with Jenny. Not all babies are on the curve but it doesn't mean that they are not progressing. Sometimes its just the way they are esp. when they start moving around more. If she is not losing weight than I wouldn't worry yet. Her pedi should be on top of that anyway. Here's a hug though, cauz I know its hard sometimes to not worry about your kids

 

Thanks everyone. It is so hard to not worry about her, she's tiny! I talked to her Ped yesterday and we're going to run some blood tests at her one year appt to rule out metabolic issues.

Hope you all have a nice holiday!

 

Hi Beth,

My daughter has never registered on the growth cart, just follows her own growth curve. Right now she weighs about 13lbs. I try not to worry about her, she eats bottles and solids, but just not a ton. I go through early intervention since she was low birth weight (3lbs) and we a have a nutritionist helping us when her meal plan. We are trying little tricks to up her calorie intake. My husband and I were both very small babies, so I think it may just be genetic.

HTH!
Mona