13wo baby in 2nd percentile, I'm worried

[Ashgr0ve]

I was just at DS 3 month check up today, and he is measuring in the 2nd percentile. He is ebf and recently been having problems staying latched on during feeds, the result being I pump and then bottle feed. I pump 7oz for his feed and he is demand fed.

Whwn he was born he was in the 25th, then dropped to the 9the and now this. I just dont know what I'm doing wrong. He is smiling, holding his head, follows movement, grabbing, found his mouth etc etc. He's hitting every other milestone.

I've been referred to my gp, a lactation consultant and a paediatrician, all within 3 hours of the visit. Anyone have experience of this, what can I expect, what can I do?

Hi not quite the same but similar; my daughter was born on the 2nd centile and dropped down to under the centile chart completely. Also ebf, (and struggled to begin with, was hand expressing, trying baby on boob using nipple shields) but we were never referred because although she was very very under average for weight she was an alert baby doing what she should be and it sounds like your little one is too snd also I'm very little myself so the hv were never too concerned about her.
so hopefully they'll just give you some tips on your breast feeding and getting that latching on sorted and worst case scenario (if you can call it that) would be they may advise you to give a bottle of formula a day? Not from my experience but from others.

Good luck and keep up the amazing job you're doing :)

(My daughter is now 11 months and at her 10 month review she is now just under the 9th centile! She started creeping back up after she started to wean at 6 months)

Your son is very tiny but sounds like he's doing well. Don't panic. Both of mine were very tiny but did all the milestones more or less on time, like your little boy. And now they're in Sixth Form etc...

Molehills look like huge mountains when you're only a couple of months into the sleepless stage of parenthood.

I repeat DON'T PANIC!!

Thank you! I always knew he was small but he is so alert and active I never worried about it. I just got a fright with all the referrals in such a short space of time I felt I'd missed something major.

Glad your LOs are both doing well!

Obviuosly that could mean something is wrong, but if he's developing normally I wouldn't worry about it. After all, someone's got to be small! Children grow at different rates and some adults are just small/short. But do go to the appointments and see what they say. Hope it goes well :)

Oh I'm taking and keeping any appointments I'm offered, better safe than sorry! Hopefully he's just a small boy, I'm on the wrong side of of 5ft2 myself so I'm not making giants!

It sounds like your baby is completely normal!

I had a similar experience.. 25th centile at birth and dropped to 2nd centile by 4 months. It was a different story for us though. He had a lot of pain and was really fussy when taking milk (breast and bottle). He also had diarrhoea constantly. Turns out he had a cows milk allergy! He's now on an amino acid based formula and he's doing really well! I think the paedietrician will want to rule out things like that but if you haven't had any other symptoms it sounds like your baby is fine!

My eldest did exactly the same - he was born on the 25th centile, and within a few months had dropped off the bottom of the chart. He was tiny as a toddler and stayed that way until he hit about 14 when he grew and grew for a year. At 19 he was 5'10" and now at 23 is a very healthy 11 stone, university graduate and daddy :D

is your ds of mixed (or non white) heritage?