Should I be worried a out my 13 month olds weight?

[HowManyDucks]

Born 50th percentile. Exclusively breastfed and shot quickly up percentile charts for both height and weight. She was last measured at 95th for height and 95th for weight.

Some days she looks in proportion, other days she looks very chunky (enough for me to quietly worry).

She always really well. Never had added sugar or processed foods. A typical days eating would look something like

Breakfast
1 Weetabix + semi skimmed milk, 1/3 banana. (She would eat perhaps 3/4)

Lunch
1/4 tin of Mackerel (in water), cooked carrots, 1 strawberry. Maybe some plain full fat yogurt.
OR
Avocado on half slice of wholemeal toast plus a couple of cherry tomatoes, a couple of pieces of mango

Dinner
2 large tbsp of whatever I'm having.
Eg. Butterbeans, courgette, broccoli, olive oil
Yesterday we had mushrooms, peppers courgette, spinach, tomatoes and chickpeas
(She ate about 3/4)

I think her diet is pretty good but she is a milk fiend. She has started asking for milk a lot during the day and at night (still breastfeeding). I offer her water throughout the day so I think it's comfort rather than thirst.

She is a confident walker. We go for a walk every day altogether. And we go to at least one park every day. At home she mostly likes to sit and read or play with puzzles. Except for the hour before bed where she essentially breakdances on the floor and wriggles around until she is pink cheeked.

She is in age 12-18 month clothes which fit her length wise and width wise but there is still some room for growth. She is a lot chunkier than all other babies her age.

HV isnt great and didn't comment.

I don't want to be that parent in denial. Should I be concerned? Does that sound pretty normal for a 13 month old?

She sounds perfect!

Doesn't sound like anything to worry about whatsoever, if anything I think you are doing a particularly brilliant job!

She's still a baby. You don't need to worry about this. Sounds like she's doing great, and so are you.

My 15 month old eats SO much more than that.

Sounds perfectly in proportion. My Dn was always on the 98th for both for many years. She’s now a tall, slim and healthy teen.

If she’s on the same percentile for height and weight, she’s in proportion. Please don’t worry.

Thank you for the reassuring comments! I felt so much guilt looking at her a couple of days ago wearing a dress which made her look particularly big (she appeared in proportion again that evening in her pjs!).

My worries were portion size and whether I am giving her too much milk. She was starting to drink less and now suddenly wants it a lot!

She’s in clothes for the right age with growing room so that sounds like she’s the right size?

my son is also 13m. He is nearly out of 12-18 clothes, mostly on height. He eats a LOT more than your daughter (and still breastfeeds a few times a day!) He does look a bit of a chunky monkey but not health professional has ever been concerned.

Babies aren't meant to be chunky. It gives them reserves if they fall ill. I've explained that badly but according to my grandma that's how it should be. I'm sure a quick Google will give you the ins and outs properly though.

I've had a very lanky skinny baby not an extra ounce of fat. And a very chunky one. The skinny kid is still a skinny kid always 99.8 centile for height and 2nd centile for weight. GP has reassured us that dc is healthy.

The chunk, is now slimming out massively and gaining height at almost 2. Once they really start climbing, running and being full on it does just fall off.

Yours sounds like she is just a healthy baby. Keep going she will end up being who she is meant to be.

She should br having two snacks a day. She will probably start reducing her milk in take when she has snacks.

DD was a chunky baby (admittedly not as chunky as yours) but as she's got mobile and become a ridiculously nosy toddler, the chunk has melted right off her. She has a one little fat roll left on her thighs and I'll be sad when that fades too.

Your DD sounds perfect and potentially like she's having a growth spurt ❤️

If anything sounds like her portion sizes are small and she’s filling up on milk still. The balance will shift naturally. What do you propose to do differently? Refuse milk? Reduce portions further? Just let her grow.

There’s a good guide from the Caroline Walker Trust that covers portion sizes and sample menus

I would increase her food intake slightly. Add some more protein and fats, and a couple of healthy snacks. She’ll probably start to reduce her milk intake then.

That being said, she’s perfectly in proportion.

My ebf daughter was born on the 9th centile and grew to the 98th! The rolls had rolls lol! She’s now a stick thin 6 year old. I woke in hv team, she sounds absolutely perfect!

Growth spurt coming up … also it’s fine to feed for comfort at a year old. Try not to worry.

I've had a skinny baby and a chunky baby and one in between. Now they're teens and they're all skinny! She sounds fine OP.

She’s fine OP. I really worried about mine at that age as he was all rolls! Once he got to about two he stayed the same weight for about a year and just grew into it. He’s now almost 7 and very tall ans skinny!

My main question is how you got her to eat mackerel! She sounds perfect, although I do understand as I had it drilled into me that if they move off their centile drastically it can be a cause for concern but sounds like her diet is great and she’s just had a growth spurt 🤷🏼‍♀️

Weve both been out of action with viruses for a couple of weeks and in that time she has wanted to be carried a lot (rather than walk) and is seeking comfort. So I think she probably put a bit more weight on which should come off again now she's feeling better. Thank you everyone for making me feel better. It's so hard to guage at this age. Especially when it's your first x

Are you vegetarian? And have you had good or weight issues yourself? You sound unduly worried - babies should not be skinny.

I have a 15 month old, I would give full fat milk not semi skimmed, and offer starchy carbs at meals to support taking on nutrients.

The increase in milk consumption could well be hunger, a growth spurt, thirst, a developmental leap, a need for antibodies to combat any bugs she's been exposed to.

If it fluctuates up and down all the time I wouldnbe worried.
My DS2 was the same born at the 25th centile and shot up to the 98th centile for height and 75th for weight.
He is super long and big at 8 months he wears 12 - 18.month clothing.
As it do want change the HV said it was fine and he is a good eater..and he has been a good eater from the moment he was born. He latched correctly and fed well.
Total opposite to DS1 who was 9th centile and stayed at the 10th centile until 13 months then moved up to the 50th centile for weight and 75th cebtile for height.

Children are all different and as long as it doesn't move up and down all over then the HV will not be concerned.

Also teething! Both mine basically went back to cluster feeding from 13-18 months, got all their teeth through (youngest is 18 months and her back molars are on their way) and then calmed down on the feeding front

Your DC sounds perfect! Both of mine were very chunky monkeys and exclusively BF. I am 5ft and 8st it looked
ridiculous wearing them
in a sling 🤣. They were close to average /weight height at birth (both slightly under).
After the usual nursery bugs they slimmed down quickly. They are both very slim now.
it was nice knowing that they had plenty of “reserve” when they were ill!

I'm not vegetarian but we don't eat a lot of meat because it's so expensive! She gets a lot of fish though. Protein from full fat yogurt, legumes and pulses. I use olive oil and avocado for fats (unfortunately she won't eat egg).

I worry because I was an overweight child and then underweight throughout my teens and 20s. I know the damage that being overweight as a kid can have.

She does have some starchy carbs but her diet is predominantly veg plus fats and protein