How much did/do your 8 mo olds weigh?

I took the boys to a new pediatrician last week and I feel like they aren't where they are supposed to be. I have been doing my best to continue to nurse, but have needed to suppliment. I felt like I was doing my best to take my boys ques with the solids but trying to get more than 1 meal in along with all the nursing and bottles was next to impossible. They just aren't that hungry, if I feed them that much they just spit up constantly.The pediatrician said I really needed to be doing 3 meals a day but I know they just can't eat that much yet. I tried it for one day and they only ended up with like 4 kind of wet diapers all day because they weren't nusing very long or finishing bottles. They weighed 18.3lbs and 18.1lbs and were 28 inches long. Everyone in my family is tall and skinny and most of the men in DH's family are the same so I'm wondering if they are just going to be tall and skinny?

 

We probably can't compare since I have girls, but at their 9 month app A weighed about 17 1/2 lbs and M weighed just over 18 lbs and both were almost 28.5 inches.

However I can comment on your solids issue. We are STILL trying to work in the third meal- they will 10 months on thursday. I think we introduced the second meal around 8 months.

You know your boys best and if feeding them more just results in lots of spitting up, go slow and follow your instincts. BM or formula is still supposed to be their primary source of nutrition right now. GL!

 

QUOTE(Ericka B @ Jan 7 2008, 08:11 PM) [snapback]561985[/snapback]
I took the boys to a new pediatrician last week and I feel like they aren't where they are supposed to be. I have been doing my best to continue to nurse, but have needed to suppliment. I felt like I was doing my best to take my boys ques with the solids but trying to get more than 1 meal in along with all the nursing and bottles was next to impossible. They just aren't that hungry, if I feed them that much they just spit up constantly.The pediatrician said I really needed to be doing 3 meals a day but I know they just can't eat that much yet. I tried it for one day and they only ended up with like 4 kind of wet diapers all day because they weren't nusing very long or finishing bottles. They weighed 18.3lbs and 18.1lbs and were 28 inches long. Everyone in my family is tall and skinny and most of the men in DH's family are the same so I'm wondering if they are just going to be tall and skinny?

Ericka:

Well if it is any consolation, my DD is a whopping 14lbs at 8 months and my DS is weighing in at 17lbs. I haven't measured them lately. I've been doing three meals a day, no bottles, just breast feeding, but I can't say it has made any difference. I've been trying to feed high calorie foods and then nurse as much as possible as breast milk is the highest calorie food they consume. But my kids don't like to eat that much and I am not going to make meal time a battle.

My ped reminds me that both my DH and I are thin so it isn't that surprising that our children are.

Good luck to you!

Sotto

 

Honestly, they sound perfectly healthy to me. My older DD was 19 pounds at one year and very tall, and never once did anyone say that she didn't weigh enough.

My little ones are 16.8 pounds and 18.6 pounds, and sometimes I worry that my bigger one is too big! Really, you can't win -- we all worry about something.

I would just keep doing what you're doing, and absolutely do not force feed -- the babies will take in what they need.

 

Here are the stats for my boys around that time.

6 months 2 wks 17 lb 13 oz (50%) 27 1/3
9 months 2 weeks 20 lbs 13 oz 28 1/2

I think at 8 months, my boys were close to 18 lbs. I think those weights sound just fine.

At 8 months, we were doing 2 meals and at 8 months 3 weeks we then began to introduce lunch too(3rd meal).

I know you did not ask, but I had my notes right in front of me so I am cutting and pasting them below!

8 months
6 or 6:30- Wake
7:00- Bottle
7:30- Oatmeal (3 tbs each) with fruit (Stage 2 or 3).
7:30-9:00- Play
9:15- Morning Nap (usually 1 ½ hours)
10:30- Wake and Play
11:30- Bottle
11:40- Play
1:15- Snack (puffs, yogurt)
2:00- Nap
3:15- Bottle
3:30- Play
5:00- Oatmeal with veg or stage 3 dinner
6:00 Bath
7:15- Bottle
7:45- Bed


8 months 3 weeks- DROPPED TO 3 BOTTLES
7:00- Bottle
7:30- Oatmeal (3 tbs each) with fruit (Stage 2 or 3).
7:30-9:00- Play
9:15- Morning Nap (usually 1 ½ hours)
10:30- Wake and Play
12:00- Bottle
11:40- Play
1:30- Lunch
2:15- Nap
3:30- Play
4:00- Snack (yogurt)
5:15- Dinner
6:00 Bath
7:15- Bottle
7:45- Bed

 

Did your ped say he was concerned with their weights? Or is it more of an issue with how many solid meals they're getting per day? Your boys' weights sound perfect to me... my guys are both right at 19lbs and I think they look a little on the chubby side! We just started our 3rd meal (lunch) but it usually only consists of them snacking on some finger foods. I am constantly worrying that I'm not feeding them enough but they tend to spit up A LOT if I over-feed them... so it's always a guessing game. It sounds like you're doing great following their cues... you know your babies best!

 

Ericka, I bet they're just fine. I honestly wouldn't think that they need a third meal yet. My girls get 2 meals a day, then nursing, and supplementing with about 7-8 oz. total formula for each. I haven't had them weighed since 6 months, but I would guess that one is about 17 lbs. and the other between 17 and 17.5. I'm not sure how different girls are, though. I'd say just keep doing what you're doing for now and wait on adding the third meal...it won't have as many calories as that good breastmilk or formula.

 

They sound just fine to me! At our 9 month app't (7.5 mo corrected age) both babies were around 17 lbs. They're long and lean like me & DH.

In general, as long as they're not dropping dramatically off their growth curves, you are FINE! Absolute weight matters a lot less than rate of growth.

QUOTE
The pediatrician said I really needed to be doing 3 meals a day but I know they just can't eat that much yet.


I totally disagree with your pedi. For at LEAST the first 9 months, solids are just for practice, and their nutrition should be coming from breastmilk/formula. There are babies who refuse ALL solids up to 12 months, and just nurse, and are perfectly healthy! Besides, if there were any concern about weight, why would you want to substitute solids, which have less fat and protein and fewer calories per ounce, for breastmilk??? That's like substituting salad for ice cream!

I'd say just let your babies set the pace with solids. Babies are geniuses. They do not starve themselves. When they're ready for more solids (and when it won't cut into their milk intake), you'll know. FWIW, mine were slow to start with solids too - they were only regularly interested in one very small meal per day at about 7-7.5 mo, we only added a second around 8.5, and now we're just kind of playing around with a third (and they really only nibble at it).

In short, you are doing great! Keep up the good work.

 

Are they going down in weight percentiles? Because if they are not their weights sound fine to me.

My DD's weighed about 16 pounds at 8 months, both in the 10-25% percentile at that point in time. They gained very little from 8-13 months, then started gaining faster after that. At her 15 month appointment, one of them was under the 5th percentile. Pedi was never concerned, and they haven't been weighed in a long while now, but I'm guessing they'll both be at least 25 pounds at two years, probably more like 26. For them, that is excellent.

 

There weights sound big to me!!

My little peanuts were 16 lbs 9 oz and 17 lbs 2 oz at their 9 Month apptl.

We didnt' start 3 meals aday until around 9 months. And even then they weren't very big. Unless their weight is going down I wouldnt' worry at all!!

You are doing great!

 

They sound fine to me... We went on 1/3 and they were a little over 8 months. Beau is 20 even (no length because it was for shots only) and Savannah is 17.6. I say follow what you want, they are getting what they need from the bottles, it is most important and the food is for learning... Some days they eat only once at my house... If i am busy running errands with me we skip lunch and they never seem to care at all...

 

I didn't move up to three meals a day until after 9 months. I don't see the need to rush, especially with formula and breast milk being so nutritious (and in your case, higher in fat, which may be good if you're worried about your babies' sizes). I did one meal a day until 7 months, then two (most days). Then 3 after 9 months. My boys are 10 months now and taking 3 meals and 3-4 bottles. Plus the odd snack of some Cheerios.

 

QUOTE
Besides, if there were any concern about weight, why would you want to substitute solids, which have less fat and protein and fewer calories per ounce, for breastmilk??? That's like substituting salad for ice cream!


I completely agree with this. I have skinnies and the more solids I added, the harder they struggled to maintain weight.

 

At their nine month appt. both girls were 17 3/4 lbs. (and I think 28 inches long). They've been consistently at the 25% for weight and 50-75% for height, pedi is not concerned. Both DH and I are thin and fairly tall, so he just looks at me and says "I wonder where they get that from?"

Like a lot of pps I think it was right around 8-9 months that we finally added a third meal, but it wasn't a lot, and the girls still got most of their nutrition from nursing.

As long as your guys are staying on their own curve, they should be fine! And you know best about how hungry they are and how much they'll eat.

:hug99:

 

They sound perfectly fine to me!

My DH was a super skinny, tall baby and our babies are shaping up to be the same. Each baby is different - I really wouldn't worry about it!

As for the solids - if you want to start to add a 3rd meal, if only to get them used to it, then you just have to do it. Yes, they will take less formula/BM if you are giving them 3 solid meals a day. And yes, you may see fewer wet diapers. And yes, they may not suck down a whole jar of food at that third meal for awhile. But you can't feed them formula forever and if it's time for them to learn about meal #3, then you just have to introduce that 3rd meal and see what they do with it. We started with 3 meals a day right at 6 months. At first, they'd barely get thru one small jar of food per meal. Now they share 2 stage 2 jars at each meal; they get a snack in the early evening of "real" solids; and I swear they would eat more if we'd let them, though we don't b/c we want them to continue to take in enough forumla as well. It takes time for babies to get used to each meal, so don't get discouraged if it takes a little time!

 

I agree with everyone else... your babies sound healthy and you're doing everything right. Pushing solids at eight months is silly. They're just for practice, so why would you need to practice three times a day if that will offset the nutrition your babies are already getting?

My girls weigh 16 lbs 12 oz and 17 lbs 3 oz at just over 8 months. My husband and I are fairly thin and no one in our family is tall, so we're not surprised we have babies on the smaller end of normal.

Oh, we're still on one meal of solids a day. My girls just haven't taken to eating from a spoon and I can't figure out how to work in a second meal without compromising bottles. My goal is to have them on a second meal by nine months.

 

One of my sons doesn't get very wet diapers, even though he eats and drinks a lot. I think its because he is CONSTANTLY drooling up a storm - that must take a lot of his hydration! I don't use wet diapers as a measure for him.

Also, I just wanted to point out that the growth charts doctors used are based on formula-fed babies from the 1950's when formula was not actually "complete" by today's standards and bigger was seen as better by society, in terms of babies anyway. I think they should throw away the charts and start again!

 

QUOTE
But you can't feed them formula forever


Of course not, but it is appropriate for formula/breastmilk to be their primary source of nutrition at their current age. If solids interfere with that, then that is a medical problem. Fewer wet diapers are a dead giveaway and should raise a red flag - just like Ericka noticed (smart mama!).

If a baby that age is ready for 3 meals, and it doesn't interfere with BM/F intake, great! But it seems unrealistic to me to think that babies will never learn to eat 3 (or more) meals a day if you don't introduce that pattern super early. How many adults have you met who don't eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Good nutrition is priority number one.

 

My boys were about 16 lbs and 17 lbs at 8 months. They aren't skinny, but aren't chubby either, somewhere in between. I think the weights you listed sound perfectly fine.

 

QUOTE(Trishandthegirls @ Jan 8 2008, 09:25 AM) [snapback]562754[/snapback]
I agree with everyone else... your babies sound healthy and you're doing everything right. Pushing solids at eight months is silly. They're just for practice, so why would you need to practice three times a day if that will offset the nutrition your babies are already getting?

My girls weigh 16 lbs 12 oz and 17 lbs 3 oz at just over 8 months. My husband and I are fairly thin and no one in our family is tall, so we're not surprised we have babies on the smaller end of normal.

Oh, we're still on one meal of solids a day. My girls just haven't taken to eating from a spoon and I can't figure out how to work in a second meal without compromising bottles. My goal is to have them on a second meal by nine months.


I can't figure out how to edit my post... so just wanted to add that I meant it's silly to push solids if that's not what YOU want. I don't mean to say that anyone who gives their kids three solid meals at eight months is wrong.

 

Dd weighed 17 lbs and ds 18lbs, they didn't start doing 3 meals a day until 11 months and even then I never worried if they ate very little, I knew they were getting enough breastmilk to cover all the bases
And if you want to wait to do 3 meals I think that is more than fine, mine eat anything and everything now, so waiting to introduce more solids certainly caused no harm!!!

 

I love this forum because it makes me feel so "normal". I took my boys for their check-up, and they were in the 5th percentile. The doctor wasn't concerned or anything, but I keep comparing them to my friends with one baby. My friend's baby weighed the same, but is almost 3 months younger. I agree with the other moms about knowing what is best and looking at the size of the parents. My friend's husband who I just mentioned is 6'7 or something like that. Anyway, thanks for the support!!

 

My boys haven't had their 6 month appt yet, but on OUR scale Conner is 17 3/4 lbs & Aiden is 19 1/2 lbs. I think my boys are a bit on the chubbier side (ESPECIALLY Aiden). We've been doing solids once a day for sure, but try for twice a day. I think we may scale back to once a day, as I'm concerned they're not getting enough formula (that being said, we have LOTS of wet diapers). The Peds nurse told me they get fluid in their solids (especially since we mix our cereal w/formula), so not to be worried, but I'll talk to my Ped more at their appt.

I have a cousin who's 18 lbs at 16 mos & her Ped isn't concerned. As long as your kiddos are nursing well, making wet diapers & pooping...I think they're doing just fine!

 

QUOTE(fuchsiagroan @ Jan 8 2008, 11:43 AM) [snapback]562784[/snapback]
Of course not, but it is appropriate for formula/breastmilk to be their primary source of nutrition at their current age. If solids interfere with that, then that is a medical problem. Fewer wet diapers are a dead giveaway and should raise a red flag - just like Ericka noticed (smart mama!).

If a baby that age is ready for 3 meals, and it doesn't interfere with BM/F intake, great! But it seems unrealistic to me to think that babies will never learn to eat 3 (or more) meals a day if you don't introduce that pattern super early. How many adults have you met who don't eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Good nutrition is priority number one.


In the end, you have to do what you feel is right for your children. For some people, waiting on solids is the right decision. For us, the three meals a day + formula is the right decision.

W/3 meals a day, it wouldn't surprise me to see some interference with formula intake. But just b/c 3x/day solid-fed babies don't take as much formula while eating solids does not mean they're not getting "enough" formula (or fluid, for that matter - babies get a lot of fluid from their solids). There are recognized ranges for how much formula is enough for babies 6+ months old and you just want to stay somewhere in those ranges. Your pediatrician should advise you.

In addition to the solids, ours get 4 bottles per day, which they are drinking (but for the occasional distracted baby). At the same time, their appetites for solids have also dramatically increased over the last two months -- they seem to like the experience of eating solids! They may not be taking as much formula as other babies, but they are certainly within an acceptable range. I think they are getting the best of both worlds: 3 little meals a day (which is a "good nutrition" habit, in my opinion -- adults who skip one or more meal a day are far more likely to be overweight) as well as sufficient formula for their main needs. If you are keeping track of their intake vs. output (fewER wet diapers are only a problem if there are TOO few), then you can start to practice the three meals a day at some point in the 6-8 month range. Surely that isn't "super early" just for the practice. Indeed, we have several pediatrician-friends and they, along with our own pedi, have advised us that 6-8 months IS the right time. The only downside is that it is a lot more work for us

You'll get a hundred different opinions on here on this subject, and there really is no right answer -- any implication to the contrary is completely unintended. You really do have to decide what is best for you and your children. Good luck.

 

Lots of good points, and you're absolutely right about this:

QUOTE
adults who skip one or more meal a day are far more likely to be overweight


In fact, all the nutritionists I've talked to say it's healthiest for adults to eat more than 3x/day - instead of having 3 big meals, to "graze" frequently on healthy stuff all day.

I only disagree with the implication (which maybe you didn't intend?) that if babies don't have 3 solids meals/day at 6 months (or 6-8 mo), they will miss some critical window of opportunity to learn that there are 3 main meals/day:

QUOTE
if it's time for them to learn about meal #3, then you just have to introduce that 3rd meal and see what they do with it.


The OP's babies were clearly not interested in 3 meals per day, and unable to eat that much without sacrificing breastmilk - doesn't sound at all like it was time for them! If you're concerned about adult obesity, I'd think that pushing food at them that they clearly have no interest in does not set a good example for the future...

I just generally disagree with the idea that babies are supposed to be mini-adults, copying adult eating habits at 6 months (or 8, or whatever) so that they'll "learn" something. To me, that's like saying that babies should only sleep 8 hrs a night and take no naps, because they have to learn sometime that adults don't get to nap all day. :unknw: Babies' needs are just different from adults', and there's all the time in the world for them to learn the customs of the society they live in whenever they're ready.

 

my girls are ding three meals and three nursing feeds a day and they weigh exactly the same as your babies. My pedi is happy with their weight and it depends on inherited genes. I wouldnt worry to much about it unless your pedi says its not right.

 

Wow, I would be pleased with those weights!!! No, Really. I think my boys are only about 14-15 lbs and they will be 8 months next friday. They were born 6 wks early though. And, you know about the food, go with your instincts. If they aren't ready then thats OK!!!! Every baby is different. My first needed food and very early. My second was more in the norm. But these little guys are having a hard time with solids, except cereal. So I'm not going to push them. There's really no need. Believe me they will eat when they are ready. They will not be 2 and only wanting bottles and nothing else. In fact, the majority of their calories and needs are meet with BM or formula in the first year. I would just try to relax and enjoy them. You are doing an awesome job!!!!