11 Month Old in 98Th Percentile for Weight. Should I Be Worried??

Updated on March 20, 2012
C.R. asks from Hebron, KY
26 answers

Ok, so at my daughters 10 month well check her measurements were good! She was born at 5lbs 4oz, and has thrived in growth ever since. And as much as I love me a chunky baby, I'm worried she may be overweight. Not in a "I'm going to put her on a diet" way, just in a could there be a health concern way. She's 11 months old and at her 10 month well check she was in the 50th for head, 98th for weight, and 75th for height. She's also in 18-24month clothes. This is her day/meal schedule...
wakeup- at 8-9am
breakfast- whole wheat toast, and 2 oz of formula or a bit of water
playtime
lunch- 1 jar of 3rd foods veg/ or fruit combo (6oz) 3/4oz of formula
nap- 12pm-3pm
snack- gerber puffs, or lil' munchies
____@____.com Gerber 3rd foods fruit/ or veggie/meat combo (6oz)
bath
last bottle/bed @6:30ish- 4-6oz.
*Sometimes wakes up (growth spurts) at midnight or later for 4-6 oz of formula

I also have a 27 month old, who was chunky, but not this chunky. My husband and I are not large people (I'm 5'6" 140lbs, and hubby's 5'8" and 170lbs) She has just learned to really crawl/ and cruise furniture, as my other daughter was walking at this point. I guess what I also need is what's a typical 11 month old eating like?? Am I feeding her too much?? I just want to do the right thing. Thanks in advance!!

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So What Happened?

Thanks everyone :) I will wait and see if there are any changes at her 1 yr well check. I understand everyone's concern for her formula intake. She simply won't drink more than about 20 oz a day. I've tried, and keep on trying!! My first daughter drank 24-30 oz till she was 1, so I know how it goes. I always make more bottle and try to make her drink it and end up throwing it out. I'll update later!!!

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S.E.

answers from Salinas on

I do not think babies at this age are emotional eaters. My children happen to be on the small side ( I WAS too, now I can afford to get rid of a few pounds). I have been concerned because my kids do not eat enough. I am also offering food. The doctor said not to force feed them and that my kids seem healthy. If my child wanted food at that age (11 months) I would give it to her/him. My daughter is 2 yrs and in the 5%tile for weight and at birth was 7 lbs. The doctor said she is healthy and he said he is more concerned with the obese kid who demand the chicken nuggets and other junk food items (my child happens to eat nuggets from time to time, but she is on the small side). I know some very healthy family who have large toddlers (95%tile) and some with small children.

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M.G.

answers from Chicago on

That's fine! Both of my twins were above 95th percentile for weight, and they were always really long, too. Once she starts really moving, her weight gain will slow down. If her pediatrician isn't concerned, neither should you.

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T.C.

answers from Minneapolis on

I would say she's just fine! As soon as she really starts moving and stops drinking formula she will thin out. Both my boys were off the charts for height and weight.

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T.W.

answers from Syracuse on

I wouldn't be worrying about her weight at all. My only thought when I look at your feeding schedule is, is she getting enough formula? My understanding was always that at under 1 year, babies primary source of nutrition should come from formula or breastmilk and that the solids should come secondary. I would ask your doctor about that.

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

I may be not reading this correctly but...did you really say the only formula she gets is maybe 2oz. at breakfast if you don't give her water instead, 3oz-4oz at lunch then only 4oz-6oz at bedtime? That's only 12 oz. of formula a day for an infant under 1 year of age.

I cannot imagine a child that is under 1 year not getting the full 24-30oz. of formula that is recommended.

That may be the weight issue. She may also completely change since she is starting to move more.

The reason she is eating "so well" is that she is not getting any nutrition from the baby food and is hungry. Baby food has very little nutrition in it compared to formula. They are total nutrition.

Of course she is nearly old enough to be transitioned off formula if that is proper. She is old enough to be eating table food and it had more nutrition in it that baby food for sure.

I would say give her more formula for now and cut back on some of the other stuff so she will take another bottle or two during the day. She needs the full 24 oz. and I would really try to go with the 30 oz.

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K.B.

answers from St. Louis on

She sounds perfect to me! My baby has always been 98th percentil and 75th in height. He just now at his 1 year check up came in at the 50th percentile for weight and 75th for height still. The doctor said it's because he's been walking since 8.5 months so he's burning off so many calories. Plus, when he's eating, he gets a little bit of food in and plays and gets distracted. I think since she just started crawling, as she moves more, you'll see her start to slow a lot in her weight gain. Don't worry! The doctor will tell you if you need to worry about her weight, but as long as she's been going along pretty consistent, they don't worry.

Also, when my son was 11 months, his meals were 8 oz. bottle when he woke up, breakfast of whatever I felt like giving him (usually like cheerios and a fruit), 4 oz. bottle before morning nap, lunch after waking up (I used to make "sandwiches" with crackers, or chicken nuggets, or something like that, with a vegetable and another 4 oz. bottle. nap again, wake and have an 8 oz bottle, dinner at 6 with some water or juice (I would give him whatever I was eating and a fruit), bottle before bed. When I started moving him to milk is when I started the snacks in place of the two "snack time" bottles. Now he has 3 8oz glasses of milk a day and eats whatever I'm making for myself, plus two snacks. You could possibly start trying table foods instead of the jar food. Just let her feed herself as she's old enough now. She'll probably play with it more then eat it, but she'll eat it when she's hungry. My son is a GREAT eater and has been self-feeding since about 8-9 months

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R.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

At 11 months you're still introducing solids to her diet, here's a chart of how much solids she requires total per day, not per meal:

1/3 cup dairy (or 1/2 oz. cheese)
1/4 to 1/2 cup iron-fortified cereal
1/4 to 1/2 cup fruit
1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetables
1/8 to 1/4 cup combo foods
1/8 to 1/4 cup protein foods

24 oz per day of formula is on top of this as that is still her main source of nutrition.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_age-by-age-guide-to-feeding-y...

Once children hit a year their growth naturally slows down considerably so just bring any concerns up to her doctor at her 1 year check-up. If he or she isn't concerned and your daughter is healthy I wouldn't stress.

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J.A.

answers from San Francisco on

My daughter was really chunky as a baby and toddler. She was above the 100th percentile in both height and weight. She started really slimming out at 2, and now that she is 3 she doesn't have much extra c***. I wouldnt be worried, but obviously go with whatever the doctor recommends.

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J.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

i wouldnt worry yet. as she becomes mobile she will thin out. my daughter was in 15-18 month clothes then. now shes 5 and only 42lbs. shes very tall too.

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T.A.

answers from Seattle on

Yeah babies don't eat if they're not hungry! No worries, especially if the doctor isnt worried. My seven year old has gone through phases where I wondered if she was overweight but a month later she grew taller and thinned out. Kids change fast. Just make sure they're eating healthy, that's all that matters! And they all walk and develop at different paces too.

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S.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

Every kid is different, but as long as your pediatrician isn't worried, I wouldn't be, either. From what I understand, weight and height at the toddler stage is not very predictive as to what the kid will be growing up (as long as you are providing healthy foods). I was top of the charts for weight and height until age two - after that, my growth and weight slowed. I was a smallish, skinny kid, and am an average-height, average-weight adult.

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L.F.

answers from San Francisco on

Totally fine! Don't worry about a thing~

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K.B.

answers from Detroit on

I would not be concerned, since it seems her weight and height are in proportion with each other...if her weight was in the 98th percentile and her height was 50th or less, maybe that would be more of a reason to be concerned. She sounds like she is eating right around what my daughter was eating at that age, and she was always 90+ in both height and weight. Now that she is 4 years old, she's around 75th percentile for height, and 50th for weight - so she's dropped off a bit, but she is still really solid, and is VERY active. I would imagine as she starts crawling more, and then eventually really walking, more of that "baby weight" will burn itself off.

Also, my daughter did not walk independently until 14 months - so that really varies too.

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

She's FINE

If she was in the 5th or 25th for height and 95th for weight... then there might be a problem to be addressed.

Typically, though, not even a blip if it's within 1/3 of each other (and you're 1/4), and no concern until it's 1/3 (like 25 & 75 or 50 & 100)

You know the whole "all babies are different' thing? This is that. Your other daughter was already a couple months into crawling (huge gross motor) and walking (huge gross motor)!!! Betcha anything you like, though, that THIS one is more advanced than your other daughter in one of the following
- fine motor (includes verbalizing)
- cognitive (includes a LOT; from language recognition, "physics" -object permanence, gravity, cause & effect, etc.)
- emotional
- sensory
- visual

Babies don't develop on a straight line, they leapfrog about focusing on different areas in different orders from each other (hence the HUGE spread of time in milestones). No baby can be doing ALL areas of development at once. So your first got really hipped on gross motor young, I'm curious what your 2nd has been hipped on? Just for fun/ curiosity... but what has #2 been reveling in? She's obviously just gotten hipped on gross motor if she's crawling and cruising... but what about before? Check the list above. And you'll have your answer.

Babies don't start slimming out until they

1) Hit a long gross motor phase &
2) Toddler years when their ribcage expands enough for their organs to move upward under it (the toddler 'potbelly' and 'toddler walk' is created by their organs being mostly in their belly, instead of protected (and hidden from protruding out) under their ribs.

Somewhat counterintuitively... tablefood can cause EITHER a lot of weight gain (because the body goes into starvation mode, because there's not enough nutrition in it to support rapid growth) OR weight loss (because there's not enough nutrition to support infant's rapid growth). It tends to be weight loss for a few weeks, and then they balloon up all roll-y poll-y, and then they get all lethargic and thin, and then they balloon up again. As a matter of fact, one of the causes that's being studied for childhood obesity is "starving" infants by filling them up with tablefood (looking ANYTHING like starving, but table food just isn't nutritionally dense enough), but limiting formula or breast milk. If this is a pattern you're noticing with #2... it's an easy fix.

As long as her primary source of nutrition is breastmilk or formula... you really don't need to worry. But if 1/3 or more of what she's eating is table food (or if she's having table food FIRST, then formula)... reverse things for awhile. More formula, and formula FIRST.

2nd kids are often super c***s because they're in starvation mode (because we get used to feeding our toddlers, and it becomes habit to feed the babies table food before formula)... but a 1/4 spread, I wouldn't be too concerned.

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J.C.

answers from Rockford on

My oldest son was off the charts right from the start. He was a very solid and chunky baby and little kid. He is now 6 feet tall and 155 pounds at age 17. My youngest was high on the weight charts for a long time too, but his height was average. At 16 he is now 5'8" and 140 pounds. Keep her eating healthy and active and she will be fine!

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L.U.

answers from Seattle on

Your daughter is just fine. She can't be "overweight" at 10 months. Talk about giving a baby a complex!!
She is happy, moving, wet and dirty diapers, sleeping well? If yes to all of that then she is just fine.
L.
Added - I went back and looked through your profile and you were here a couple of weeks ago asking about your baby waking in the middle of the night and being hungry. I have to add that your daughter is not getting enough formula throughout the day mom. Especially in the morning. I would give her a big ol' bottle of formula right when she wakes up (6-8oz). Then give her a snack of fruit (my baby loves pears and peaches) or veggies (peas, green beans, cooked carrots are a fav.) around 11. Then feed her another bottle of about 4-6oz at naptime. Bottle again when she wakes up 4-6oz. Snack again around 4 or 5 (fruits or veggies) and then let her eat a bit of dinner with you guys (gerber or "real" food) and then another 4-6 oz bottle at bed. As others have said, she needs the majority of her nutrition to be coming from her formula, NOT table food. I have a feeling that your baby may actually be a bit hungry and that is why she is waking in the middle of the night.
(Mom of 3)

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L.M.

answers from Dover on

When my son was a baby he was always in the upper percentiles for everything. He was born at 7 lbs 15.5 oz, at two weeks he was 9 lb 12 oz and had increased to 8 oz feedings and reduced back to every 2 hours for his feedings. Couldn't get enough to eat and we had to start cereal early (at two weeks of age!). At one month he weighed 11 lb 10 oz...yes, all but 2 oz he was gaining a pound a week. By 3 months he weighed 19 lbs and was big....not just "chunky" but tall too. He was wearting 12-18 months clothing too. He rolled, scooted, and crawled early...even w/ being heavy, he was also muscular and very active. By 6 months he was just 20 lbs and at 8 months he was 22 lbs and stayed there until sometime after his 1st birthday. He was in the 95-98 % the whole time...according to the WIC nurse, the charting inidcated that he should have been considered "obesse" but looking at him she said he was not. He just thrived very early. By the time he started school, his face was a still a bit c***by but his growth had leveled off and he was always one of the smallest in his class. In high school his growth really took off again (and he's in college now). He's healthy and on the slim side (not too skinny but definately not heavy). My point being not to stress about the % right now. The doctor will tell you if there is a problem. Unless you see signs of something not being right (I am definately not saying to ignore things), stop worrying.

That said, looking at your schedule above, it doesn't look like she's getting enough to eat....just toast and 2 oz of formula or water for breakfast?, one jar and 3-4 oz of formula for lunch? doesn't sound like enough.

At this age, my daughter who did not gain anything like my son (I know he was not the norm) at cereal and at least 4-6 oz of formula w/ breakfast, then a small snack, her food and 4-6 oz of formula for lunch, about a 2 hour nap, snack again, her food w/ 4-6 oz of formula for dinner, and after her bath she would sometimes get a little more formula is she wanted it. Always water or juice w/ her snacks. With the time of your daughter's breakfast and lunch, it makes sense that she doesn't eat a snack in between but I would reconsidered the amount of formula she is getting (seems to me like she needs more but you know your daughter better than anyone else).

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B.F.

answers from Minneapolis on

Do not worry about her weight at this age and the food sounds fine, but I did not see the 20 + ounces of formula she needs at her age. Did I miss something?

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J.F.

answers from Bloomington on

She sounds like my first kiddo. She was also a VERY chunky baby AND she didn't crawl until she was almost a year old. I often wonder if it was the c*** that kept her from crawling or the lack of crawling that kept her c***by. Ya know?

Well, fast forward. She is now a very healthy 4 1/2 year old. She didn't walk until she was 16 1/2 months old and stopped being SO c***by as she started to move. She is also sharp as a tack and is on the petite side.

Now, my second daughter who will be 2 next month, is SOOOO tiny. She moved early and never breastfed around the clock like my first. She can barely wear 18 month pants because they are too big on her. She is barely 21 pounds. My first was 22 pounds by 9 months of age.

My point is that every kid is different. Keep your eye out for developmental issues, but even then we over worry. :)

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E.F.

answers from Kalamazoo on

My first son was *huge* as an infant. 98th percentile for weight and off the charts for head circumference. We're not talking c***by, we're talking thighs that wouldn't fit in a bumbo. My husband and I are both lean and we eat healthy foods and exercise. My baby was breast fed and ate fruit, veggies and healthy grains etc. So where did all this (adorable!) chunk come from? Who knows! Our pediatrician wasn't concerned, because of how healthily we ate and our active lifestyle. She said we'd keep an eye on him, but at that stage not to worry. She was absolutely right. He leaned out gradually and now he's 5 and can barely keep jeans up on his lean little bod. It sounds like you're doing everything right - enjoy your big bundle and those c***by cheeks - they'll be gone in time. :)

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C.M.

answers from Bangor on

As your baby grows, she will occasionally become dis-proportioned. Usually, this will self-correct as she starts getting more active. Most babies have a phase where they seem overweight. Usually this is due to increased appetite while not yet being really mobile. Trust me, she will slim out once she is up and running around.

All 5 of my children had a "chunky" stage around the 9-12 month mark. All 5 slimmed down once they were able to move freely. My first son, 7lbs. 15.5 oz at birth, couldn't sit on his own at 6 months because his legs and belly were so c***by. He didn't walk until 15 months because he wasn't able to get his balance around all the baby fat. Now, at age 9, he wears a size 10-12 slim. Its just a phase, like all others, she will outgrow.

~Mom of 5

C.T.

answers from Santa Fe on

No, no need to worry about this kind of thing - she is too young. My son was off the charts for weight when he was that age. He is 7 now and is a tall string bean. We can never find pants that fit his skinny waist. No one believes me when I tell them he was a very chunky baby/toddler!

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S.E.

answers from New York on

its not like youre over feeding her from the sound of your schedule.. i know one of my cousins was exactly like that the doctor kept saying hes overweight hes over weight.. by the time he was like 2 er 3 he was a tall skinny little thing.. i guess it was just the way he gained weight not really sure.. its not like your situation is uncommon thought i wouldnt be worried about it just yet with her being so young

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E.W.

answers from Cleveland on

My own daughter started life at almost 11 pounds. She is now 17. I watched the baby fat melt away as she grew and became more active. I would focus less on weight as she grows and just make sure she has a healthy diet and some regular physical activity. God made us all unique. If your daughter is hungry she will let you know. The food on your list does not look like she is overeating at all and as she goes through growth spurts she will go through stages of being starved to being not hungry. They have a lot of growing to do so enjoy your precious child while she is young. (It ends all too soon)

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S.S.

answers from Cincinnati on

I have a baby boy that was 9lb 11oz when he was born. Shortly after he was 1 he weighed in at 24lbs. He has been holding at 30lbs for the past 6months or longer though. He is finally dropping down ONTO the charts lol. As long as your baby is eating healthy don't worry about it. The 'charts' are used mainly to see the CURVE the children are growing on. If a child goes from 99% one visit down to 80% then 70% (along with other health concerns) they will look to see if something is going on. Watch your daughter, if she looks and acts healthy and you aren't worried about any other development markers then I say just enjoy you little c*** c*** :-)

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R.P.

answers from Seattle on

My dd was at 99% weight all the way until her 15month check up. She as also in the lower 40% on height. She is now lower at 92% for weight. She hasn't gain any weight since her 1 year appointment. She has actually lost just over a pound. The doc said this is completely normal due to her increase in activity. The ped never even seemed upset about my daughters 99% in weight. She actually called my bm straight cream at one point.
Your daughter is eating less than my daughter did at that time. My daughter was on this, 0530 nurse 0930 breakfast-oatmeal with a half of a jar of fruit about 1/2 bowl(take and toss bowl), 5-8 oz of bm before her 1030 nap, lunch at 130 .5 jar of fruit and .5 jar of veggies and water, 430 nurse, 600pm dinner .5 fruit and .5 veggie and water, 730 bed and nurse. She was still also waking up at some point early early morning to nurse.
I wouldn't worry about the walking. Chunky babys crawl and walk I have found later than skinny babies. My dd still isn't walking indep. She crawls, cruises and walks with my hubby or I just fine. She just isn't ready to walk yet.
I also say look at her ques. Is she still hungry or is she full during meals. My dd is very easy to read when it comes to those ques.
If she is still 99% when she is like 2 or 3 you might want to bring it up to your peds. She still isn't all the way active.

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