Height off the chart, and getting more so...

[Weegle]

... ok so I know I should just ditch the chart, and I know what will be will be, am just musing really... my DS was born over the 99.6 line (same for weight) but as time has gone on at 8 months he's about 1.5 cm above the 99.6 line for height (this isn't just me measuring him) and weight is now just under the 98th line. I'm not worried, both me and H are tall, I just wonder if anyone else has this situation where their child was much much bigger/taller than their peers? Did this affect them e.g. I'm concerned higher standards of behviour are going to be expected of him because he looks older than he is (he's the size of an average 17 month old). I had this to a certain extent as a child and it had quite an effect on my self-esteem and I wonder how best to handle it when the time comes that it will affect DS.

[Elasticwoman]

Both my in-laws are quite tiny but dh was a big baby. Mil recalls with embarrassment the time some one made a remark implying that dh was a slow developer because as a child he looked older than he was. He is now 5 ft 10 in - towers above them, but not outrageously tall compared to the rest of the population. Babies don't always start the way they mean to go on with growing.

[sunnysideup]

Weegle, he sounds a lovely thriving baby

I don't know if this helps at all but I have been amazed at how many children in my DS' reception class are really quite tall for their age. There are some tiddlers as well but lots who have surprised me with how huge they are for 4 & 5 yrs. There is one lad who is massively tall, the size of a 7 yr old at least but I've never seen or heard this be an issue for him at school...though I'm dead sure that people in the street think he's older than he is and have expectations accordingly.

My DH was head and shoulders above his classmates and I think you may have to do as my MIL did and just get very loud and assertive with people; don't let funny looks just pass even if people don't say anything, just loudly go on about how tall he is and how people expect more of him than they should, he's only.....etc etc etc. It made her feel better, anyway!

[JudeB]

My DD (nearly 6) has always been on the 99.6th centile for her age and towers above a lot of her friends at school. She is Year 1 but could quite easily pass for a Year 3/4. However, although it ALWAYS gets mentioned by people ('My how tall you are!) it has never concerned her as we don't make a big thing of it as a family. It may sound trite but we just put it into the context of everyone is different. In fact, she loves the fact that she is going to be as tall as me (5ft 3) by the time she is 11 according to her chart!
My DS (nearly 2) is heading the same way too and personally, I think it is great as I prefer tall men!
Don't worry - I know Mum's with small children who have the same concerns so we all find something to worry about!

[shagirl]

Hi Weegle, I can totally sympathise with you! I'm 5'9" & dh is 6'6"!
We have 3 dd's all of whom are on or above the 99th centile. It did my 1st dd no harm with people expecting her to be older but for some reason people expect my middle dd to be much maturer than her age. She won't start school until this September but she is already taller than nearly all the Reception class where dd 1 goes to school! In fact during school time I've even had people ask me why she's not in school! Fortunately it doesn't seem to be personally affecting her, it just gets my back up! My 3rd dd is only just 1 & already taller than most 18 month to 2 year olds! Luckily she still looks like a baby rather than a toddler & still gets treated like a baby. Will watch your thread with interest!

[Weegle]

Great, thanks everyone, that's very reassuring. I already find myself prickling when people call him "enormous" "huge" or a "bruiser" - I really don't think he looks like a bruiser, he's very in proportion, just very long. I've even had the GP refer to him as "nearly one" when he was four months! I feel whenever anyone asks how old he is I have to say "8 months, but he is very big". He weighed 12lb12oz at birth, I guess he's always going to get the Rugby-Playing references!

[sunnysideup]

Was it a caesarean???

[Weegle]

Yup! After a rather horrid failed induction, no surprises there then!