In need of reassurance - is she really that small?

[heartinthecountry]

dd2 is 11 months old. She was referred to the hospital as she has dropped on her percentiles from the 50th at birth to now just below 9th. Her height did drop to just below 9th but is now back up to nearly 25th. She is 71cm high and weighs 7.9kg (17.7lb)

I'm not obsessed by the growth charts (she has only been weighed 5 times since birth) but I am beginning to worry a little as people have commented how small she is. And, at baby and toddler group this morning I did notice that she was smaller than nearly all the babies from about 6 months up! But, most of them are boys.

I really wasn't worried until I saw the doctor on Tuesday who I thought was going to say that as she seemed well she was probably just small but he just kept looking serious and has sent her for blood tests.

Sorry, this is really waffly - I suppose I really just want to know if she seems that tiny compared to most of her peers? Anyone else got a girl about the same age/size?

Thanks

[fannyannie]

I don't personally have a child that small - but yesterday at the park I saw a TINY little girl playing very confidently on the climbing frame - she looked about 18 months old - but on chatting to her dad discovered she was actually 3 1/2yrs old - but still in 12-18 month clothes!

[SchroedingersCat]

Heart - my DD is 17lb and just over 11 months old.

I have had heartache and worry since she was about 3 months, being suggested it was my BM, she was failing to thrive etc, and eventually, I stopped going to see the HV (after of course seeing the GP who said yes she was small but nothing wrong with her).

My DD is meeting all her milestones, some early, she is extremely active, chatty and absolutely nothing wrong with her appetite, she gulps down at least 25oz of milk plus lots of food, but just does not put on the pounds. I have spoken to lots of other people about this over the months and I have come to just realise that she is a petite girl, and that she perhaps would not be so active if she was heavier.

I did the length chart later on the book too, and she averaged that should she grow normally and have no health issues as she grows, she is likely to be around 5'3, which is fine for me!

She has shot up the legnth charts, but still dont think she is as long as your LO!

I would not worry, really, unless there are other signs of a problem which your GP would surely have picked up.

[feb]

my neice is 18 months old and weighs about 21lb, she is tiny but the picture of health. am sure doctors are just being cautious and your dd is fine.

[SchroedingersCat]

DD is only just growing out of her 3-6 month clothing!

[usandnosleep]

Hi

I have a boy of the same age and he weighs exactly the same as your DD. He is just below the 2nd centile.

We have been referred to a paediatrician, this was due to his weight AND the fact that he is often unwell. His weight alone wouldn't have caused concern.

Our first paediatrician appointment went well and he wasn't overly concerned, we are due to go back in July.

I would trust your instincts, you weren't concerned until others mentioned her size. If she is otherwise well I would say she is just beautifully petite

[lulumama]

DD weighed 19 lb at 11 months....and is small for her age....she is two next month and weighs 24 lb....she is full of energy..from the minute she wakes up , she is on the go ! and she is not a huge eater..so whatever goes in is burnt off...i do get the , oh she is so small ! comments..but she is well , happy and meeting her milestones, i am delighted to get so much wear out of her clothes ! she still fits in all her 12 - 18 month stuff and some 9 - 12

[heartinthecountry]

Thanks for messages.

She has had reflux (or at least bringing up quite a lot of feeds but not diagnosed as reflux) since birth. Still does a bit but not much. Shes not the best eater in the world either but does okay.

She is also very active and I'm not at all worried about her development (dd1 is disabled so I am only too aware of that).

My instinct is that she is fine but there is a niggling worry that there could be something underlying.

[rebelmum1]

My dd was at the bottom of the charts too, we had some tests for things while she was in hospital with a chest infection. But I'm small and dad's small so the doc wasn't overly concerned, they may just want to keep a watchful eye to make sure that all is well. For example my dd had a chest infection which alerted them to possibility of cystic fybrosis as she is small too. There is a really simple and quick sweat test they can do. Find out why they are so concerned and what tests if any are appropriate. My dd's weight went down too, but she has suddenly sprouted now at 2 yrs and 10 months and people now say she might be tall ?!!

[rebelmum1]

I give my dd nutritional supplements now though as eating can be hit and miss at times and I want to play it safe.

[CarGirl]

what are the hieghts and weights like of you and her Dad and your wider family, there may be some rogue "small" genes that she has inherited.

I'm only the 7th centile although I started off average and slowly slipped down over the first 6 months........

[coppertop]

Your dd2 sounds similar in proportion to mine. Her weight was on the 75th centile at birth but she dropped right down and is now on the 9th for weight and 25th for height. The HV was involved for a little while as at one point dd dropped down to 0.2 after illness and gave us a month to see if things improved or dd would have to see a Paed. As soon as it became clear that dd was once again following the 9th centile we were left alone. I think they usually say that if your baby is following a centile line it doesn't generally matter if they are small.

Dd seems tiny compared to the other babies at her toddler group. She's nearly 15mths but people still ask when she'll be 1. Ds1 was always on the 91st for height and 75th for weight so it's a bit of a novelty having such a small child.

[harpsichordcuddler]

hello! I have teeny tiny babies too - but then again my family and my ILs are all pretty small.
dd1 is on the 0.4% centile for weight . she is four and weighs 28 lbs.
dd2 is on the 9th. she is 19 months and weighs about 22 lbs.
they are both small in height too.
but they are both active and healthy.
my advice to you - stop weighing her

[slalomsuki]

DS1 merrily bubbled along the 2nd percentile all the time unitil he was 4 and then shot up. He weighed 24lbs a month short of his 3rd birthday and everyone used to comment.

He was sent for tests, blood tests, scans on bones and found nothing. He is very active and eats well.

Don't worry too much. I always thought it was normal since DS2 was similar but then I had dd who weighs 28Lbs at 18 months and is catching them up fast.

they are all different

[Desiderata]

Have you done the calculations in your red book, Heart? Somewhere in amongst all the charts is a method of finding out how tall your dd will be when fully grown - you take your height, your partner's height and divide it by this and that, and voila!

I wouldn't worry if she's petite at the moment. Her genetics will determine her eventual size - and she'll no doubt have several enormous growth spurts.

At that age, my ds was 20.7lb - but boys are often heavier than girls anyway. She doesn't sound too far off

[heartinthecountry]

Oh I have avoided getting her weighed a lot!

I think the reality is that because of dd1s disabilities I was always going to worry about dd2. As developmentally she is doing well, I am instead a bit worried about her health.... I suppose I just live in a world where shit does happen.

[SchroedingersCat]

I agree with Harpsichord - stop weighing, its what I did, she had her 8 month check and not been back since. If I become worried I will go back to see GP of course, but not otherwise (however, I was told she gets a 1 yr check? Might go to that for curiosity!)

[heartinthecountry]

Oh, I am quite tall - 5'8 and dh is 5'10. dd1 is also quite tall. I have no problems at all with dd2 being little, as long as it is just that she is little IYSWIM.

I did ask the dr what he was testing for and he was very evasive despite me pressing. All he would say is 'standard tests'.

You are all right. I probably just need to not worry.

[kels666]

I have teeny babies too. DD (2) 23.5 lbs and ds (10 mths) 17.5 lbs

[NoodleStroodle]

Don't worry - I had a little baby and she has grown up into a little "big" girl. She is happy and healthy but petit. Remember for there to be 100% there have to be people at the top and bottom - as long as she is happy and healthy then don't worry

[cmm]

Dear all - think the thread hasn't been in use for a while but just wanted to add to it (as I know that I have searched the forum before for low weight babies!). My daughter was 6lbs at birth. She has been on the lowest line (bottom line) all the time until a month or so ago when she has fallen off the chart with being ill with colds etc but is now climbing back to it but is still kind of 0/0.2 centile ish. I saw a consultant with her (for a diff thing) and mentioned her weight and he was fine about it. He said she is just a small baby and not to get her weighed as often (which is good!). She is crawling and standing yet still in some 0-3 clothes!!! It is a worry sometimes but she is healthy and so cute - think it is the pressure from others when they say 'isn't she tiny!' I still breastfeed and found it hard as people will say give her a bottle to fatten her up! Used to be offended but not anymore. I'm not saying bottles are an absolutely no no for everyone but it wasn't something I wanted to do. Everyone is different, including our little ones!

[cmm]

meant to say, she is 11 months

[SlightlyMadSpider]

I wouldn't be overconcerned by her weight. My 15m DD weighs just over 9.5kg.

What they will be more concerned about is the fact that she is slipping down the percentile charts.