When does it stop being OK for toddlers to be chubby?

[flubberdubdub]

DS is 2yo and I'm starting to worry that, while his peers have started to 'stretch out' and become little lean machines, DS still has rolls on his arms and a sticky out tummy.

He eats a healthy diet (I think) - yesterday for instance he had cereal with fruit for breakfast, homemade spag bol for lunch and vegatable soup with bread for dinner. Snacks were raisins and rice cakes. He has full fat milk before bedtime.

We go on lots of walks and he plays a lot in our garden. Think he gets enough exercise. He loves running and playing, although spends a fair bit of time sitting and reading too.

I guess I'm worried because there are lots of weight issues in both mine and DH's family, ranging from morbid obesity to anorexia. I've got a difficult relationship with food myself but have tried to make sure that DS learns to regulate his own appetite.

do you think he should have got to the stage where he's slimming down? He was an enormously fat little baby, but was exclusively bf. He IS becoming less chubby, just not as much as other kids.

[fluffyanimal]

My view is that he is still really young and there is loads of time over which body shape will change. You're doing all the right things. So long as that doesn't change, I wouldn't worry for years yet about his figure.

[ceebee74]

I really wouldn't worry about it. My 2 year old is probably what you would describe as a 'lean machine' - he is about average in terms of weight and height for his age, still in 12-18 months clothes but still has a sticky out tummy even though he is not chubby anywhere else.

[pagwatch]

my DD was a round little thing until she was three.
She ate well. she didn't eat masses and what she ate was all good stuff and she got loads of excercise.
She kind of stretched between 3 and 4 and is now slim.

If your son is eating good food, eating when hungry and only until full and is getting enough excercise then he will be fine.
Try not to be too anxious as even whilst trying to be neutral he will pick up on tension around weight and food.
FWIW i hhave realised as DD got older that she is a bizarrely active child. When we walk the dog with her peers she can walk miles father than them and she is active all the time. Perhaps you DS is one of those children. Came as a surprise to me as it is much more so than with her big brothers.

[LEMONADEGIRL]

My ds is 2 in October and I have similay worries. He is chubby with a sticky out tummy too.

I went to see the hv regarding his weight and she was really lovely and made an appointent to come to my home to discuss the situation inmore detail.

She came at lunchtime to see a typical meal. Like your meal plan mine is very simialar and she agreed that I was giving him healty balanced food and also that he was getting exersise.

The problem she saw was his nursery food intake as she took a look at his daily diary. Puddings etc were flapjack and yogart, felt a bit dense as this didnt occur to me as I knew they are part of the healty start innitative and didnt think to questiowhy he got both items when yogart would have been sufficient. He only goes one day a week now though so, I can control things more.

The only advise I can say is perhaps look at portion sizes as from what you have desribed it all seem lovely and healty.

Ds still looks bigger than toddlers his age but am trying not to get too worried

[mother2two]

An aquaintance's child was just like yours. She's now 4 years old, lean and atheletic - she's already in a gymnastic club. I didn't realise how good she was until I saw her last week! Last time I saw her, she was a tubby 2 year old. How things change in just 2 years!

IMO, I would stick to what you are doing - giving your child a healthy diet and plenty of exercise - you can't go wrong.

[flubberdubdub]

Thank you for all your lovely reassuring responses.

Psychobabble, I had him weighed about 4 months ago. He was on the 50th centile for weight, and he hasn't got any chubbier since then.

It was just yesterday when we were with my friend and her 2.5yo - I picked him up and almost threw him over my head because he was so much lighter than I was expecting! He has the proportions of a 'proper' child whereas DS has the proportions of a chubby 6 month old, albeit one who can run around and talk!

I suppose I'm just worried that he won't grow out of this chubby phase. Feels like he's destined to have weight issues coming from my family

[pagwatch]

He's not flubber
My friend picked up her daughter and then picked up mine.
Mine weighed WAYYY more than hers although they are both about the same build.
My DD is slim but still heavy IYSWIM.
Don't be defeatist about it.
I have struggled with my weight but my bigger kids are on my profile - including 'heavy' DD.
My DH is right. She is muscular and athletic. I feed her much better than I was ever fed. That is wehat you are doing

[ajm200]

As long as his diet is healthy and he's getting exercise, I wouldn't worry too much. He's still young and he'll sort himself out over time but speak to a 'sensible' HV or your Dr if you are worried.

My son is very tall and very lean, you can see his ribs at times and he eats like a horse. He still weighs more than his friends who are 6 months older. One of the HV's mapped his weight to age without considering his height and came to the conclusion that he is obese. The expression on my face must have been comical and some of the mums queuing to get their DCs weighed actually laughed. One of her colleagues then said that there was nothing wrong with him in front of everyone.

I've got photos of DS looking very chubby at 5 months, then we started taking him to swimming lessons and a month later he was lean.

[flubberdubdub]

Pagwatch - your DC are gorgeous - and slim!

This is making me realise that what I thought were DS's issues are in fact my issues. Still carrying 'baby weight' from DS and am now pg again, and feel like I'm bound to pile it on again. In fact I already am!

Maybe need to address my own issues and stop worrying about DS. Am very lucky really as so far he has shunned sweets and chocolate - but that tends to mean that I end up eating them for him!