15 month baby losing weight - worried

[worriedmummyinfeb]

DD is a bit of a picky eater but she’s always been a big girl (75-95 centile). The last months we’ve had nonstop nursery sickness, as well as teething all four molars, and trying the milk ladder for CMPA, which hasn’t gone well. She gets awful tummy cramps from milk and then doesn’t want to eat (fair enough!)

I noticed she seemed a bit slimmer so took her to the HV drop-in for a weight check, she’s lost 300 grams in three months. She has dropped from the +1 line to the -1 line for weight.

HV said not to worry as they all slim down at this age but she shouldn’t be losing weight, right? Or dropping centile lines? I know they slim down as they get more active but she’s not walking yet (does crawl and cruise loads).

I read it’s useful to think of toddler intake by the day rather than the meal but some days she hardly eats at all, a few bites per meal. We are still BF and I do try to withhold until after meals so she’s not full up before eating.

I feel worried something is wrong and don’t know what to do for my gorgeous girl.

Have you stopped all dairy now? I have CMPA and reactions like this are truly miserably and you don't start feeling better until you've not had any for at least 2 weeks.

I’ve been 100% dairy free since for over one year, DD has as well. She cannot manage even the bottom step of the ladder without a fair amount of tummy pain. Same with egg, so it limits our diet and our protein intake, and I don’t know what to do.

So difficult isn't it? With the weight loss I think I'd ask for a referral to the Allergy Clinic and a Paediatric Dietician.

From what you've said, her food calorie intake is low, bar milk, and has been particularly bad this month with illness/ teething etc. I would imagine there's no medical reason for the weight loss and it's just because she's fussy.

I also have a fussy 16 month old who would much rather boob than food so I feel you- I know he won't eat much more when he's having so much milk but it's hard to cut down when you know they've had such little else that day isn't it! They'll get there though so try not to worry and introduce as much new things as you can in the hope that you do find things she'll have!

I think too that it sounds as though she's had a rotten month. Is she having any painkillers for the teething?

@MikiSu thank you, good to know we're not alone. It is rotten! I don't let her feed until she's had a meal but if she hasn't eaten, she nurses all day and night. I can't withhold the night feeds, especially with all of the sickness and now weight loss, but am so keen to night wean

@CadyEastman yes, she had calpol or nurofen on nights when she seemed uncomfortable, but it went on for weeks so we'd try to get by without when possible. One thing she loved was cucumber sticks so she ate loads of those. I tried to dip them in hummous to get more calories in but apparently not enough. We are under the allergy clinic (they are supervising the milk ladder) but honestly haven't been so helpufl, they say she just have a sensitve tummy and that's who she is 🙄

I don't think any sleep trainer would suggest night weaning a poorly LO, especially one who has experienced weight loss

@CadyEastman oh no of course not, I wouldn't dream of it! I just meant I would like to at this point but not at all willing as she's not getting the calories in (but I would love to be sleeping more)

Could it be low iron? My bf 15month old bf toddler has just been diagnosed with low iron and I've heard it can reduce appetite? We are on supplements now.

What does she like to eat? Perhaps we can suggest ways of upping the calories a bit or similar things you could try that she might also like?

Does she eat at nursery?

I found that age really tough and you've got allergies in the mix too. It will start to get better, I promise you. She won't want you BF at night always

That's a really good call. Hope your LO recovers quickly

@Lndnew I'm not sure, how would I get that checked? Felt a bit fobbed off by the HV tbh

@skkyelark thank you, any suggestions welcome. She didn't eat lunch/tea when beginning nursery for several weeks. Once she got settled it was a bit better but this week she has stopped eating there again (although she was home last week with a tummy flu so maybe isn't feeling herself?) I have tried giving her a sandwich (peanut butter or hummus) instead of the warm meal but she only takes a few bites of that.

She does reliably eat snacks (breadsticks, puffs) and dessert (non-dairy yogurt, plain with unsweetened fruit puree; apple puree). She almost always eats shredded chicken breast. I find it tricky to feed her because she goes through phases, loved peanut butter on toast but then tired of it, loved oat porridge but now won't eat it. For tea she'd happily eat spagbol, noodles, pastas, but after a few weeks tires of them and want something new. It's hard with the allergies!

The GP can arrange a blood test for iron levels. There's some information here.

It's hard when they chop and change on us!

If she likes breadsticks, what about crackers? My two both love the poppy and sesame seed crackers that most of the supermarkets do, as well as the wheat or multigrain own brand ones. The poppy and sesame seed ones are quite robust, we do peanut butter sandwiches with them a lot. Would she have some peanut butter, hummus, etc. spread on her breadstick/cracker or to dip? Maybe toasted pitta bread?

Those are all good dinners she's eating, just tricky for you to know what flavour of the week is going to be. How about adding an extra drizzle of olive oil to the pasta, maybe sesame oil for the noodles (assuming that's a stir-fry sort of thing), just to bump the calories up a bit? How about pesto pasta, I think you can find dairy-free ones? Or a rice dish using similar things to the noodles? When porridge is in favour, perhaps stir some peanut butter in? Maybe dairy-free rice pudding or custard as alternative puddings, again with fruit/fruit purée?

I guess the other thing I'd do at this point is just go with what she'll eat, and if possible ask nursery to do the same, as it sounds like they'll let you send in food for her. You can worry about variety later, right now the goal is calories. Nothing wrong with 'sides' of breadsticks and shredded chicken if it means she eats a few more bites. Yoghurt and blueberries after lunch, yoghurt and banana after tea. Just serve these as a matter of course – you're not giving her chicken and breadsticks because she refused her pasta, they're just part of the meal, so you don't encourage holding out for something 'better'. Some people serve dessert and main together to take that a step further.

@skkyelark Thabk you, these are such helpful suggestions. I do try to mix in as many dips and spreads as I can but I reckon I’ll have to just keep pushing. I have worried a bit about adding too much sugar into her diet but perhaps it’s better to just be getting calories in now and then we can come off of it a bit.

Thank you again, I really appreciate you taking the time to think through this with me xx

Hiya! Just wanted to add a message. We’re in a very similar boat with my 1 year old (well, 1 in a couple of weeks)

Shes always been tiny, between the 9th and 25th but maintained until recently. She doesn’t like milk at all, no CMPA diagnosed but very possible, she’s always been EXTREMELY, grouchy, still now. It’s been a tough year. HOWEVER, she did absolutely love her food until about 5 weeks ago, she completely stopped eating, at home, and at nursery. I can get breakfast down her if I’m really lucky, but it’s not enough as she’s lost over a pound and is now falling below the 2nd centile. I’ve been to the GP, who wasn’t overly concerned which is bizarre to me, and I’m now in contact with the HV, who has also pretty much said just ride it out… not sure how long I can ride it out for, the poor things wasting away!

Hope you get your bubs sorted soon! You’re not alone. I know how awful it is, and it’s so incredibly hard to get any medical help. I’m honestly pretty tempted by A&E. Maybe she would be sent straight to paediatrics! Good luck xx

@Lucyb06 thank you, it helps to know I'm not alone! Feels like everyone around me talks about how their babies are gobbling hamburgers and I can't get a spoonful of potato in mine.

Our GP was also not overly concerned, and I understand maybe we've just had a difficult month with nursery illness, but...at what point do they become concerned? She was always quite chunky and I know they slim a bit at this age, but I've had to go a size down in nappies and it worries me so. Also because I reckon it must be affecting her other development? She must be so hungry and tired all the time?

I don't know what A&E would do, I can't imagine they would send off a paeds referral for a baby who is otherwise healthy and the waitlists are donkeys years, but...how long can our babies waste away? It's so frustrating. I hope you get some support and get sorted soon too xx

@Lucyb06 did the GP check her ears, throat and tummy? If not, I'd go back and say that you want those checking as she's still not gaining and also ask if she can have a blood test to check her iron levels.