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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Oh lord, I think I'm overfeeding DS

29 replies

openerofjars · 04/12/2010 23:18

He is 2yo, 14kg and 86cm tall. He has always been around the 75th percentile (he was 8lb 4 at birth) and does like his food. I wasn't sure as he has a very round face anyway but DH looked at a photo of him the other day and said "blimey".

He does not have much unhealthy food, barring the odd treat, and we walk a lot, go swimming and go to the park regularly, but I think we may be giving him oversized portions.

I read an article that said that parents rarely spot that their child is overweight, as they see them all the time and also overlook and are defensive about "flaws" in their DCs.

Okay, is DS overweight, objectively speaking?

Flame away, you cannot make me feel any guiltier.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

mugggletoeandwine · 04/12/2010 23:24

I have no idea what the weight and height means in a 2yr old.
And in a child so young, you don't want to be worried too much.
That said, do you give him lots of bread?

I read bread on here constantly.
I've cut out wheat for health reasons, and out of DD's diet at home mon-Fri as she was eating too much of it.

Get rid of the bread as a sub for anything/everything else, and it'll be fine.

LacksDaisies · 04/12/2010 23:26

I don't think so.

Is he 24 months exactly or 2 and a half?

Either way, 75th centile is fine I'd imagine. With centile charts, afaik, it's only over the 98th centile that causes concern.

I also find with mine that the grow out first and then grow up if that makes sense. If he is about to go through a growth spurt, you might find that the height catches up with the weight soon enough.

Has your HV raised any concerns?

My 2yo still has a chubby baby tummy and chunky thighs, but he eats well and is active. I think he may be around the 75th centile as well, but I haven't had him weighed since he was 15 months

Either way, I don't think you have anything to feel guilty about

Santaclaustrophobia · 04/12/2010 23:30

what's wrong with bread exactly? It's not exactly cake is it?

maxybrown · 04/12/2010 23:31

I wouldn't say so - and my DS probably weighs the same as yours if not a bit less and he is 3.3 - but a skinny mare who eats hardly anything! He is just going to be lean and small frame.

No I would not say he is overweight, I would say he is a bigger boy - that does not mean alarm bells

Santaclaustrophobia · 04/12/2010 23:33

Work it out here

Original poster

openerofjars · 04/12/2010 23:33

Thanks, both. Muggle, he does like his bread. Hmm.

Ey up, Lacks, tis Saurus going undercover here. Will put photo on FB, please will you have a look for me?

Cheers me dear.

No, HV saw him at 2y check & just raved about how ace he was. I googled like mad last night & depressed the hell out of myself.

OP posts:

Sidge · 04/12/2010 23:34

Is he exactly 24 months? If so then he plots on the 50th centile for height and the 91st for weight, so he is heavier than he is tall. A difference of 2 centiles is quite significant so it might be worth looking at his portion sizes. His BMI plots on the 98th centile so he (on paper) is obese.

Many parents overestimate how much food young children need, especially if they have a hearty appetite and will eat everything put in front of them. Maybe your GP could put you in touch with a paediatric dietitian for some advice re portion sizes?

winnybella · 04/12/2010 23:36

DD at the last check up was 86 cm tall and around 13kg iirc. She's a little bit chubby, but not fat. She's 22 mo. It depends on the child's built as well I guess.

maxybrown · 04/12/2010 23:39

After talking to our GP lately as our boy doesn't eat, he asked if he is a milk drinker - which he is, he has two cups a day- if he eats he can have more, but doc says they really don;t need much food at this age - a little actually goes a long way.

DreamTeamGirl · 04/12/2010 23:41

At 2 I would not worry too much, as he could have agrowth spurt any day- they do tend to go out then up, then out then up

That sais no harm in getting into very healthy habits of things like wholemeal bread, and plenty of lean meats and carbs.

Portion wise, i read a portion is their fist size, this looks quite interesting

Original poster

openerofjars · 04/12/2010 23:44

He's 25mo, and v wide across the shoulders with diddy legs (like his dad): age 2 tops but 18-24mo trousers, if that.

You can see ribs but he has a toddler pot belly. He still has chubby wrists and cheeks, but up til the other day I'd have said he was sturdy rather than fat, but then I know I'm biased.

This has really scared me as it's just crept up on us. Poor little boy.

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LacksDaisies · 04/12/2010 23:45

I thought I knew the name but couldn't remember who!!

We should meet up and compare F's

Sidge, I thought that BMI is not an ideal measure of a child's weight due to factors like build not being taken into account?

Have a word with your HV and perhaps get his height checked again? Height is quite difficult to measure in wriggly toddlers; DD was measured by 3 different HCPs on 3 consecutive days and each measurement was different!

LacksDaisies · 04/12/2010 23:52

looking at your pics on FB he just looks like a normal toddler to me; a bit of a chubby face, but the rest of him looks OK.

I'd also think that overfeeding a 2yo is pretty hard. Mine clamps up as soon as he has had enough and no amount of coaxing will make him eat if he doesn't want to!

Talk to your HV...and stop googling!!!!

Sidge · 04/12/2010 23:57

LacksDaisies yes BMI isn't a great indicator but gives a general idea as to whether further intervention might be needed. It needs to be taken in conjunction with plotting on centile charts as well as eyeballing a child. That's why I put 'on paper' in brackets, as it's certainly not the be all and end all.

Generally speaking a significant discrepancy between height and weight (which can be reflected in BMI) can indicate the need for further assessment and possibly intervention. But of course getting an accurate height can be difficult!

I wouldn't get too worried openerofjars especially as he's in age appropriate clothing, but maybe just keep an eye on portion sizes. He'll probably shoot up an inch or two over Christmas and become more in proportion

Original poster

openerofjars · 04/12/2010 23:59

Thanks, will cease forthwith & go back to obsessing about pg symptoms, ovulation etc . Would love to meet up when the bloody snow thaws: we are separated by the elements a bit at the mo'!

Height measurement was fine, he was good as gold for that - in fact, we couldn't get him off the measuring platform - but he was all over the place on the scales.

I'm more worried, I think, because I had a bit of an eating disorder in my teens and don't want to pass on my anxieties to him or to get him to equate food with affection etc.

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LacksDaisies · 05/12/2010 00:08

by the elements and the great north/south divide

thanks Sidge . I found some stuff on the WHO site about BMI and children. I'm sure after I;ve had my DS weighed and measured for his slightly late 2 yr check I'll be stressing about his weight too, as he is also on the sturdy side.

On the clothes jars, all of mine have tended to be a size behind in the legs from the tops. I thought it was that they had just inherited my short-arse genes, but this seems typical amongst their peers too.

And on a positive note, the NHS choices site says that you don't actually need to do anything just keep an eye on him and as long as his height is going up but his weight stays the same, then all will be well

Sisqinanamook · 05/12/2010 00:09

I just did my DS's bmi on the NHS link, it says 87th centile, he is overweight [hmmm] DS has a flat tummy, slim arms and legs and I can see his ribs when he reaches up... but he is overweight??? No he isn't!!!

DH has very broad wide shoulders etc, he's a mesomorph, could it not be that DS has his fathers body type, hence his bones are dense as will grow so big??

My son cannot afford to be much skinnier without causing concern... overweight???

LacksDaisies · 05/12/2010 00:09

ooooh, should read properly....pg symptoms? ovulation? ....Good Luck xx

Original poster

openerofjars · 05/12/2010 00:22

Ta! DH got broody & talked me into TTC.

So, reduce DS's portion sizes and make him hang off the door by his fingertips, right?

Bless him, he's going to be built like a rugby player rather than a footballer anyway, but it won't hurt to start good habits now.

Thanks for all the useful info, ladies x I am reassured and also have some positive steps to take.

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mugggletoeandwine · 05/12/2010 00:23

Santaclaustrophobia
No, it's not cake, it's bread, but I do think most people are over reliant on it as a snack.

I read so much on here about giving kids bread, or having themselves a healthy snack of-bread.

I think it's not so healthy.
I've cut out wheat for health reasons, and I ate very little anyway. I'd already stopped DD snacking on it during the week.

Bread and bunging kids some is not healthy, it's stuffing them up.
A piece of bread is crap, just the same way a bag of sweets is.

Original poster

openerofjars · 05/12/2010 00:34

No, it's got protein in. But in the same way as carrot cake has vegetables in.

Mind you, I bake all my own bread at the moment, so we're talking tiny slices of bread anyway because I'm still developing my baking skills and it doesn't always rise brilliantly.

OP posts:

ppeatfruit · 05/12/2010 10:20

muggletoe IMO it's WHEAT that's the trouble, it's in EVERYTHING and some people eat it at every meal even when they don't need it. You can get good rye bread and crackers etc.

DreamTeamGirl · 05/12/2010 16:09

On portion sizes BTW, try puting exactly half what you think you should give him on a plate and allow him to have the rest if he asks for it.
You would be amazed how small a portion they eat if not offered more.

Latootle · 05/12/2010 18:17

can you not just get him weighed????????? there is a huge margin for height weight etc but it will put your mind at rest. maybe ask a family member to comment on what you feed him often we cant see we are giving too much of A and not enough of B etc etc.

activate · 05/12/2010 18:21

kids grow out and then grow up

they tank up get stouter and then shoot up and elongate

don't know if your 2 year old is overweight - but very few are

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