Weight in the Lower Percentile....

Hi B.- Sounds like he's just fine. I wouldn't try to get him to eat more than he wants. You don't want to have him start over eating. Breast fed babies fall on the lower side of the weight chart compared to bottle fed and since it's an bell curve it makes sense that he'd be below 50%. My kids were always below 50% and in the 90% for height. He will let you know if he is not getting enough to eat, forget the charts!

If you want to add something good for him, Cod Liver Oil is great for his brain, development, and immmune system.
Walmart carries an orange flavored one. (don't chase it with water or it gets more fishy tasting)

I'm confused about why you think he's "technically underweight" ??? The growth chart is supposed to show a range of what is average, normal development. Unless he's off the chart I wouldn't worry, especially if he's healthy and developing normally :)
And not all kids follow the curve, in other words, he could be 10th percentile one month and 60th percentile 3 months later.

I'm guessing your son is very active? Always on the move?
My son was in the 3rd percentile for weight and 56th for height at that age. He's almost 5 now and up in the 80's - but still very tall and thin. He grew 4 inches in 5 months and didn't gain any weight. He still fits in his 3T shorts but needs a 5 or 6 shirt. Eats like a pig too!
If your son is growing and gaining weight - even if he does one at a time he is fine.
This isn't a contest - the percentiles are just a way to monitor AVERAGE development. Your son is probably fine - unless his doctor is worried, you should find something else to worry about. We mommies do love to worry - daddies too!

If it's any comfort to you, my son did not even hit 20 lbs until he was well beyond 15 months - I don't remember exactly when but I do know that I finally said to heck with him being 20 lbs before you turn the car seat to forward facing when he was 15 months old.
Now, he is somewhere around 30-32 lbs and 7 yrs old. Very intelligent and healthy otherwise.

His pediatric doctor said to put butter on his food, peanut butter, etc to fatten him up when I asked about it. Bad idea! If I so much as put butter on pancakes or bread HE WOULD NOT EAT IT! So, better to let him eat healthy food than to try and fatten him up and get him to eat. It took several years but he now will eat buttered items. He still does not like milk or peanut butter (which are great easy sources to fatten up a kid with, oh well) but he does eat a variety of foods & veggies. He will drink milk only if it's hot chocolate. (Dad and I aren't big milk drinkers either so why should we be surprised he isnt.)

Hi B.,

Your concerns sounds just like mine did 8 months ago. My son has always been in the lower percentile. At his 15 mth check up he was still below the 10th perecentile for weight and finally made it to the 25th for height. Even at 18 months he's only 21 lbs. Our peds keep reminding us for one my husband & I aren't that big, and #2 as long as he's progressing on his own curve there's nothing to worry about. plus they expect a drop in weight around the 9-12mth age due to the recent change of mobility...

As far as what you are feeding him don't worry he'll let you know when he;s had enough or not enough. At about 12-13mths my son went on an eating binge. I couldn't believe how much he was eating. At breakfast he had a whole bowl of oatmeal, banana, grapes, toast and 4 oz of milk etc. At the next appt I was surprised he still only gained 2lbs. I even asked if I was over feeding him, and the peds said just let him eat or not eat as much as he wants. They have days where they eat and days where they;re not interested. But never to force him to eat when he's had enough. They need to self monitor their own eating habits..

Relax and enjoy this fun time. It won't be long when we have picky 2 yr olds who aren't going to eat anything but chicken nuggets even for breakfast......

Please remember that the growth charts are based on babies fed primarily formula. If your son is taking breastmilk to his liking and eating solids you offer him until he is no longer interested, you're doing well. Don't stress about it.

My 20 month old daughter is hovering just below 20 lbs at 31 inches. That puts her in the 2nd percencile for weight and 10th for height. She's smart, alert, eats tons of fruits, veggies, dairy, grains, and meats along with nursing 8+ times a day. She is also go-go-going all day long: running, dancing, playing, climbing, chasing after the cats and her big sister. If your son is becoming more mobile, it would definitely explain a drop of his normal curve.

As parents, we are not trying to have heavy babies--but to nurture the ones we have to be what their genes intended. You're doing a wonderful job. Keep up the good work!

I am sure someone already told you this but don't worry about it. My daughter has and will probably always be in the 5% of her wieght and height but she is healthy. She eats when she wants and is not malunourished in anyway. It is hard when you see other kids just forking food into their mouths all the time but just think about the bad habits that you won't ahve to break later. Just remember to stick with healthy foods and don't cave when he starts to like one thing that might not be good for him, like french fries, candy or potato chips. In two years, this will be the least of you worries. Just enojoy the fact that he is not eating you out of house and home....yet. :)

Hi B.,

My daughter was in the same situation as your son. She was 75th for length and 25th for weight. The first time the doctor noticed, she told me to just feed her more. The second time it happened, the doctor realized that she just had a high metabolism and that there was nothing to worry about. My daughter was active, happy, and healthy. So, we stopped worrying. She is now almost 10 and she is still healthy, very skinny, very active, and average height. That is just the way she is. I would say that if your son is healthy, active, and happy...don't worry about it.

D.

The percentile charts are based on formula fed babies, who are generally chunkier.
Breastfed babies are usually slimmer, because their bodies process breastmilk easier, and don't store it off as excess fats.
My daughter was in the 25% for a long time! I was concerned until I learned the above information. He sounds like a really good eater for his age, so I wouldn't worry one bit!

Dear B.,

Be thankful you have a slender baby ! He is starting out on the right foot, as, I'm sure you're aware, obesity is a huge health problem in the U.S. You can take those percentiles with a grain of salt. If the average hair color were a pale brown, you wouldn't worry if your child had blond hair ! What matters is whether your baby is healthy or not. Human mother's milk is, miraculously. the perfect food for human babies, so it is no wonder he prefers it. If you continue to offer him a wide variety of nutritious, unprocessed "whole" foods (the same foods you are eating), he will consume the quantity and balance that he needs . He may not have any molars to chew with yet, so unless the food is pureed, a large proportion will go through undigested. That is quite alright, by the way. He could also be clamping his mouth shut because he is full. The stomach capacity of a 10-month-old is 3/4 cup to 1 cup, so unless his stomach is completely empty when you are feeding him, he won't be able to hold much. Little children haven't learned to overeat and stuff themselves. No need to teach them early !! Good luck, and relax ! Eating is the most natural thing we do and it needn't be a source of anxiety.

It sounds like you are doing fine to me. Remember, he is pretty active and growing at this age so he may loose a bit of weight. Just make sure he is eating regularly throughout the day. Offer him a couple of snacks. He is getting to the age where their eating habits can be quite erratic. Just remember, as Mommy it is you job to OFFER quality food on a regular basis and it is up to your son to decide how much and of what he will eat. Don't make it a battle. His body naturally knows how much of what it needs and as long as you aren't waylaying it with a bunch of junk food he will do fine.
remember the percentile charts are AVERAGES which means it takes babies of all sizes to create the charts. As long as he seems healthy and is meeting his milestones I wouldn't worry.

B.,
When kids grow they tend to gain weight, then get taller, and gain weight again. On some kids the weight gain is pretty obvious. On others it may only be a few pounds. My kids have always been on the slim side as they have inherited my metabolism which is very high. They might gain 5-10 lbs, then grow another inch or so. Unless your doctor seem concerned, I wouln't worry about it. By the way, my kids would not go anywhere near those baby meats. They got veggies and fruits with cereal. So long as something got into them, that was fine with me. Also, if he can have juice that would be more calories for him also.
W. M.

Hi B.,
Is this a concern of your pediatrician as well, or just you? The percentile is a national average. So it's an average of all the Okies who eat friend Okra and friend chicken, mashed potatoes, etc as well as us Californians who tend to go towards fresh fruits, veggies, etc. Whenever I ask my pediatrician to write down the percent (so I can put it in the baby book) she always gives me a lecture about how it's just a number and it's an average, it says nothing about my child. 50% is average, it's pretty much what number you would want to aim for, if you are aiming for a number. However, if your child is happy, energetic, etc and the doctor is concerned, then I wouldn't be.
As far as food goes before they turn one it's just about the experience. The solids you feed him is to teach him about textures, tastes, feelings, smells not to fill him up. He gets all his nutrients from the breast milk, so keep trying new stuff and let him experience. I wouldn't force him to finish a meal by distracting him, just let him eat what he wants and leave the rest. He will let you know when he's hungry and when he's not. You could also try letting him feed himself. My daughter wanted to pick up all her own food from the day she masted picking up Cheerios!
I really wouldn't worry. Your son doesn't seem to small too me. My friends 4 year old only weighs 12 lbs more then your son and his doctors aren't concerned. I think he's in the 10% or something like that. Each kid is different.
Best of luck,
C.

B. I don't think you have anyting to worry about. It sounds like he getting more than enough food. If the dr thought it vwas a problem then he or she would tell you. As with adult we are all different. Maybe he just has a different metabolism. TAhe only thing IA moght change is to give him more finger foods cau se at his age he is beginning to get more ndependant

It sounds to me like you are over-feeding him. What does your pediatrician say? Babies know what they need, so when he's had enough, leave him alone. Don't play, or sing, or "act goofy" in an attempt to get him to eat more. He will let you know if he is hungry, and he will eat just as much as he needs. He is not "underweight," just because he's in the 20th-50th percentile. Well-meaning parents who stuff their children with too much food are setting them up for a lifetime of struggle with their weight.

B.,

My 11 mos old duaghter is also on the lower end of the growth curve- she is 18.5 pounds (25%) and only 27 inches(2%)- but neither myself nor my husband are "big" people. Our ped is constantly reminding me that being in the upper precentiles is not necessarily a good thing and that weight is not like a test in school where the higher the precetile the better- as long as your son is continuing to grow steadily on the growth curve and does not have a sudden drop off I would not worry- (my daughter has been below 25% for weight since birth)

as for food- at 10 mos my daughter started to refuse anything that came to her on the spoon- I found that if I let her have more finger food and feed herself- she got more in and was then more receptive to taking some food by spoon as well- I would give her finger foods then give her her cereal, yogurt or whatever else.

Good Luck-
M.

Did your doctor say it was a concern? If not, I wouldn't worry. My son has always been in the lower percentiles when it comes to weight, and he's a very healthy 24 month old. He eats normal sized meals, is very active and just doesn't carry around a lot of extra baby fat like some kids do. All kids are different. In my opinion, they shouldn't use the percentiles... why compare your child to all the others??

Hello,
My soon to be 9 mo. old grandson is 21 lbs. He eats cereal and fruit for breakfast, two containers of baby food for lunch and for dinner, sometimes with some cereal too. He drinks 24 oz. of formula (give or take) We don't save the fruit until the end, we feed it with the other part of the meal, every other bite or two. If he was hungry you'd know it so if it was me I wouldn't worry if your doctor isn't. It would be much less healthy if he was way overweight.

K.

Hi B.,

I would recommend not stressing about this. If he seems happy, then he's getting plenty of food. The more you obsess about it, the more he will pick up on that and possibly start to have "food issues". In fact, I wouldn't distract him when you're feeding him, but instead try eating with him, eating the exact same foods you want him to eat.

My daughter since the age of 2 weeks has been in the 15-25th percentile in weight and didn't eat much when she was younger either. Now she eats like a horse, but just has a very high metabolism. We didn't force her to eat, just let her get there on her own.

Good luck and relax - he'll be fine. Also, I would recommend getting the book - Super Baby Food - it was a little bit over the top in terms of trying to get your baby to eat "just the right foods" - but if you take it lightly and simply use it as a resource you might feel a little bit better about getting healthy food into your happy little boy!

Good luck!

Sounds like he's right where he should be. 20-25th %ile for weight can be normal for some kids. It doesn't necessarily mean underweight or undernourished. My two oldest daughter's were 90%iles for weight. My two youngest (who breastfed longer) were abou 25th%ile for the first 2 years. My third daughter has now increased to 50%ile at age 5 with no major dietary changes. She is even a picky eater. They will grow. Breastfed babies sometimes start out smaller & then catch up. Also, some ethnicities are smaller. The scale is based on a European standard as far as size expectations, not to mention that formula has inflated/effected the general size of children. In the long run formula babies also are more likely to have weight issues in addition to being larger as babies. Sounds to me like you are doing it right! R. (mom of 4 girls and MSW, LCSW)

Don't worry! The percentiles are just averages and it would be crazy to expect all babies to have the same body type. 20 lbs at 10 months is great. It's normal for them to move around on the chart. My son was born at 75% for weight, then dropped off the bottom of the chart by 4 months! And he was 75% for height. Once we started solids he started creeping back up and now at 2 years old he's 25% for height and weight and doing great. My son's case was extreme and his dr. was worried, but I tell you this so you can get some perspective on your situation. She is now very happy with his weight and is always telling me, "Can you believe we were ever worried about him?" Just keep feeding him as much as he wants to eat. You can't force it if he's not hungry. You could be feeding him 3x a day at this point if you wanted to, but remember that breastmilk should be their primary nutrition through the first year. It sounds like you're doing a great job.

Hi B.-
If your baby is healthy and full, then you shouldn't worry about percentiles unless your son is severely small and sickly. Babies come in all shapes and sizes and what is important is a full tummy and a healthy baby, which is sounds like you have. Don't let averages and statistics form your child's health. Everything is dependant upon the individual. Gaining weight is not necessarily a need. If you think about it, when people live on fruits and veggies, they are relatively thin.
I think you are doing just fine. It is normal for first time mommies to worry that their babies are ok. YOu are doing great!
-E. M

My son is now 2 years old and at his 2 year doctor visit, he weighed 26 pounds. He has not gained much weight since his 1 year visit. In fact, he only gained 1pound and he's in the 25th percentile for his weight. His pediatrician says it's a good thing and that we shouldn't question it since obesity is on the rise. We just try to make sure that he eats a good variety of foods with protein, veggies, and fruit. He has now also switched to skim milk. So I think as long as you feel like he's getting enough of a variety, I think that it's OK if they are a little on the lean side. Also, my cousin's son was 35 pounds at 1 year and now at age 9, he's only 70 pounds. He's got a good appetite and certainly does not starve. Also, I think it's important to keep in mind that at least for my son and also some kids, they go through phases of eating a lot or eating a little.

Talk with your Pediatrician. My son was in 5% as an infant and small child. I was VERY worried but the Ped assured me he was perfect and they also said there has to be children in all spectrums to have the percentage. My son now (almost 21) has almost zero fat but is perfectly healthy and has muscle.