1-Year Old Not Gaining Weight

Ups and downs are toatally normal. At your next appointment ask your doc specifically if you should be concerned. My doctor told us at out last appointment that normal growth for babies is rapid the first year (doubleing or even tripleing in weight) but the second year he doesn't expect that my daughter will put on more than 4 pounds (she's around 70th percentile now was 90th at birth.)

As for the feeding thing. Is she interested in self feeding? My daughter won't hardly eat at all if it's on a spoon. She's very determined and wants to do things for herself. So she gets little bits of food that she can feed herself and this way she eats pretty well. Also you're daughter is a year old now (as is mine)so you can be more adventerous in what she trys. My daughter really responds to foods with real flavor. Instead of steeming her vegatables I've started roasting them. Now she loves her broccoli so much that I've had to start buying giant bags of it at costco. She also like onion, garlic, termeric and cumin. I have a great recipe for indian lentals at home (I'm at work right now - being extra productive;-) My daughter loves these lentals so now we have them about once a week (they go really great with salmon which she also likes.) If you'd like the recipe send me a PM and I'll send it to you as soon as I get a chance (things are crazy at home with halloween.)

my son is 22.5 lbs and is 12.5 months old. So your little ones weight is fine. I understand the concern is the no weight gain issue and I would say it is not time to worry too much because she is still at 50% but it is more typical for children to stay on the curve they have grown on in the past or at least somewhere close to that curve. That being said, if you doctor is concerned, he should refer you to a GI doctor and a nutritionist. My son had feeding issues due to other complications at birth an I have been working closely with the Packard GI clinic and a wonderful nutritionist in Menlo Park. One thing I use and has worked re: calories is a product called Duocal that is a powder that has no taste which I mix into my son's food. Ask your doctor about that. (PS - duocal can be found at low prices on eBay for unopened cans. I buy mine there since the manufacturer's prices are quite high.

As for worrying, donot worry too much because her weight is fine but you can start a little research and perhaps talk to folks now while there are no issues.
Good luck!!!! All the best!

Unless your doctor has given you specific steps to take or refered you to a nutritionist, it doesn't sound like he/she is all that concerned. She can't possibly continue tripling her weight every year throughout her life, you know what i mean. As long as she keeps meeting her developmental markers she should be fine. I would call and talk to the doctor about this specifically though, just to ease your concerns.

My son was born at 7lbs even, but has been thin since then. He is very tall and has always been low weight for his height. However, I was the same way as a baby and developmentally he has always been advanced, so our dr told us not to worry about it.

You are still nursing and offering food, so what else could you do?!?! Keep up the good work, and put a call into the doctor for some clarification about the concern.

The growth chart is an average. Don't go by the chart. If your daughter is developing well, and if both parents or families are fit then that may just be her build. About Daycare colds/ germs that always happens, the only way to avoid it is to not use daycare. However for many that is impossible. Just keep ur child comfortable, use vitamins and feed them good healthy foods and plenty of fluids. Good Luck!!

Hi H.,
I agree with the other moms - if your baby is happy and active and has rosy cheeks, don't worry. If it makes you feel any better, my younger daughter was 25 pounds of butterball at 1 year old, and now that she is 3.5 years old... she weighs 28 pounds! Yep, she has only gained 3 pounds in the past 2.5 years. She is really tiny for her age, even though she was as fat as could be at 1 year. It's a little weird because my older daughter is very tall for her age, and my husband and I are both tall... but our little one is, well, little! The doctor keeps reassuring me that she is completely normal and healthy, and she really does seem to be. I think it is normal to worry when your child doesn't conform to the exact average, but the thing about averages is that half the kids are above them, and half are below - as long as your child is on her own little growth chart, she'll be fine! Hang in there!

I just wanted to say what others have said... try not to worry. My son's growth was always on the low side... he weighs 22.5 pounds at 2 years. His height and weight were always low so our pediatrician recommended seeing an endocrinologist. He did some bloodwork and ruled out anything hormonal... really put our minds at ease. We have come to accept that our son will be the smallest in the class for a while (until he gets that growth spurt). Your daughter sounds perfectly healthy... and it is normal for weight to slow down a bit around 9 months.

Echoing the previous posters - not a worry. If she's overall happy and healthy, she's getting the calories she needs. And if you need more reassurance, check out nutritionist Ellyn Satter's book "Child of Mine, feeding with love and good sense" - she has a lot of helpful explanations about things like why growth charts cause needless worry (and in some cases actually aggravate problems if a doctor and the parents feel they have to make a child eat more or less to try to make their growth follow the chart more than the child's genetic predispositions).

I wouldn't worry at this point. Growth at 1 year old slows down dramatically compared to what we've been used to the previous 12 months. My daughter was born somewhere around the 70th percentile, shot up into the 80-90% her first year, and at her last checkup she was down to the 20%. She's almost 3 years old. I know she eats healthy and well and is very active. It sounds like a very dramatic drop but was actually gradual. Even at her highest percentile, she was never one of those 'chubby babies'. Not all babies follow the curves on the growth charts. As long as your little one is eating, happy, heathly and active, don't worry.

NOpe! DOn't be worried. I've typed this a few times now, but it is worth repeating. We have enough fat kids on this planet. If your daughter is happy and healthy other than the colds, then she's fine. My son is 9 months, 29 inches and only 17 pounds. He eats like crazy, but it's just his body. He and his daddy aren't big people... ok who am I kidding... we're lawn jockeys! So take a look at your family's history. Find out from your parents and his parents about what they think your weight might have been. 50% is still good. Don't worry and continue to feed her a healthy varied diet. Don't try to fatten her up just because.