Anyone else's baby in the 2nd percentile?

[Nickname1980]

My LO was born at 39 weeks weighing 3kg (6lb6) which is between the 9th and 25th percentile. I found out today he's dropped to the 2nd. He's 12 weeks and weighs 5kg and is breastfed.

The doctor isn't worried as my baby is "in proportion" but wants me to get him weighed every week.

Anyone else with a baby who dropped to the 2nd percentile?

I'm not very tall - just 5'2" - but my husband is pretty tall at 6'2".

Not a baby but my four year old is 2nd percentile for height and weight and because he is in proportion I have been told not to worry although of course I do

Just keep getting him weighed weekly and so if there were any issues they would be picked up quickly, but honestly some people are just small!

My now 6-year old daughter fell from the 50th at birth to below 3rd at 6 months. She picked up again at around 8-months and is now slightly taller than average and in proportion for weight. Doctor was always reassuring and friends and family said "look at her, she's fine". Now my 7-month old has fallen through the percentiles too and different doctors have been more concerned but friends always reassuring. The HV said that as long as he gained tiny amounts and didn't lose that's ok as long as I breastfed on demand. He is alert, active and otherwise healthy. If charts and scales didn't exist nobody would be worried about him. I guess my advice is to look at your baby and follow your instinct.

Mine fell off the bottom of the chart. I win
More seriously if baby is healthy and happy try not too worry. Like adults all babies are different sizes.

Mine was born on 91st centile and dropped to 2nd somewhere between 4 and 7months (hadn't weighed him between these ages). We were referred to paediatrics but given all clear and discharged by one year old as naturally small. I'm 5'10 and husband is 6 foot! Ds is now 2.8 and slowly climbing percentiles since age 2ish. Now between 50th and 75th I think.

Best to get medical opinion but not necessarily cause for concern :)

Dd1 was Born on the 50th, she dropped to the 9th and stayed there until she went on to bottles and started weaning at 6 months when she went back up to 50th. Around the time she started walking she dropped back down to 9th and stayed there. Shes 10 now and I have no idea where she is but shes still small, shes always been the littlest in her class.

Dd2 on the other hand started off at nearly the same birth weight with just an ounce diffrence, and now at 4 shes onthe 75th for height and 90th for weight. Theyve ha the same diet,both went on to solids at six months, same amount of exercise they're just naturally diffrent.

DD was just under the 25th centile when she was born, and dropped to between the 2nd and 9th. She was EBF, and, like you, I had to get her weighed every week.

She's 3.4years old now, and still tiny-her and 15 month old DS2 can share clothes! She's absolutely fine though, she's just inherited all the short genes from both mine and DH's families.

DD dropped off the charts. Tested by endocrinologist as she was not growing sufficiently and was growth hormone deficient. Monitored every 6 months and was almost prescribed GH treatment but began to show signs of catch-up growth spontaneously.

It is worrying but as long as your doctor is currently monitoring it that is all you can do. If your DS continues to fail to follow a line on the growth charts over a more substantial period of time then you should ask for a referral to an endocrinologist to check GH, thyroid etc. There is a very good facebook page - the child growth foundation - which gives lots of great advice and support.

I have a 14wk old dd who was full term & birth weight was 6lb8. She has also dropped but she didn't have the best start. 13 dys in hosp since birth due 2 jaundice which resulted in her becoming anaemic & having a blood transfusion @ abt 8 weeks but despite that I'm still bf & she's put on weight brilliantly. She was discharged frm the hosp a few weeks ago & I get her weighed @ the local clinic every week & the last few weeks she's not gained as much & has dropped on her chart but is otherwise healthy. The thing I put it dwn 2 is she is really active & can't keep still -is ur son very active???

My dd was born on the second percentile (tiny!), gradually rose to the 9th after first few months (breast fed). I stopped weighing her at about 1 because it had become almost an obsession for me - had my own baby scales so could weigh daily, which was daft. Was pleased to learn at her recent two year check that she has risen to 25th percentile for both weight and height. It can and will all change, but yes it is worrying when they are very little. My advice would be, yes, weigh regularly, maybe get your own scales if you would find that less stressful, but don't let it take over your life - some people are just naturally small!

Like a few of the others, my dd is way way below the bottom of the chart. In fact, she is 5.7kg at 14 mths! So please don't worry. My dd was very prem and apart from her size is doing fab.

adoptmamma we have a referral in a couple of weeks to endocrinologist. Is the growth hormone checks just blood tests? I would have thought they would have tested this before now .

12yo DS has always been on the 0.4th centile (the blue band at the bottom of the growth chart). No need to worry, some children are just small.
It saves a fortune on clothes and shoes over the years, small DCs get a lot of wear out of their clothes!
Statistically 1 in every 50 children will be on or below the 2nd centile, it's not that unusual.

PartlyConfused it depends if they are doing a stim test or not to stimulate the production of GH. If it is stim test they give medication first to promote the production of gh. We've only ever needed straightforward blood tests. Our next step prior to gh prescription was stim test but DDs GH levels went up into the normal range by themselves after about 18 months of monitoring when it was below normal/necessary levels. Try the Child Growth Foundation fb page - admin will approve you quickly and you'll get all the answers you need about what to expect. Good luck xx

If they are at the bottom end of the scale because they are naturally small/short stature that is one thing - normal and healthy. If they are losing percentiles because of e.g. GH deficiency that is another thing entirely. It is a health problem and needs medical attention because without sufficient GH levels a child will not have normal puberty, can have fertility problems and is, basically, not actually growing properly. A naturally short child is growing properly in line with their genetic inheritance. A child who is falling off the growth charts/not growing properly could have GH deficiency or a condition like MPHD (Multiple Pituitary Hormone Deficiency) or a rare genetic condidtion like RSS (Russell Silvers Syndrome).

As others have said, do try not to worry too much - especially if your doctor isn't worried. Keep an eye on him, get him weighed fairly regularly and I'm sure there is nothing to be concerned about. My DD2 is now 7, she was born at 39 weeks weighing 6lb 1oz (which I seem to remember was 2nd centile?) and was a v scrawny little thing! She was bf and remained tiny, but was thriving and happy and healthy. She started walking just before 10 months, and given what a miniature little thing she was she looked like a doll or wind toy. People used to be so surprised to see her running around! Now at 7 she is still fairly petite (her 5 yr old brother is the same height, weighs the same and has bigger feet than her). There is nothing intrinsically wrong about being on the lower centiles - it's just the less common edge of average. I had the opposite with DD1 who although she was only 6 lb 8 oz at birth went off the scale huge and shot up over 90th centile. She was so chubby I was worried she was too big.... (of course now aged 9 she is ridiculously tall and skinny so that was another worry over nothing).

Try not to worry. Breastfed babies don't always conform to those charts. DS was born on the 50 and gradually dropped down until I weaned him at 6 months. He's tall so I was worried, but nobody else was! He's a happy, healthy 18 month old now and is back to 50.

Keep an eye on it, but as long as there are plenty of wet nappies I reckon it's fine.

Thanks everyone! I feel very reassured by your comments!

DD was between the 9th and 25th at birth IIRC and was in tiny baby babygro's. I was shocked as I am 5'8", but her grandmothers are 4'10 and 5'.

By 6 weeks she hadn't gained any weight at all and had dropped to the 2nd. People kept commenting that she looked like a newborn and I was very worried. However, by 3 months she was growing fine and is now a very feminine petite (5'2) nearly 15yo

I bet your DS will be fine - they don't all stick to the charts!

My dd was born on 25, dropped to 2 and stayed there for 5 months or so. She climbed up to 50 in the 6 months after weaning and is now a 75th 2yo. She still doesn't eat much but clearly doesn't need it.
If you're weighing regularly you've got nothing to worry about. Someone's baby has to be down on 2. It's still normal range so don't panic too much.