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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

why is ds so small when born a 9lb 10oz baby??

21 replies

talkative · 11/08/2007 22:21

ds was born 10 days late and wieghed 9 10 and pretty much stayed heavy-ish untill he started walking, he was crawling at 6 months and by just turned 9 months he was walking. He is now 16 months and seems to be so small for his age compared to other children. I dont compare him to others usually but i cant help feeling that he should be bigger???!!!
He does eat well and has at least 1 poo a day and has wet nappies all the time, he looks to me in proportion for his size and has a little podge on him still but i cant help worrying that he should be bigger.........
He eats a variety of foods and i have allways made his meals myself, could this have something to do with it???
One problem though is that he does not like milk as a drink which isnt helping, he eats plenty of milk based foods such as fromage frais, parsley sauce, cheese sauce and also cheese ect but no milk as was breastfeeding untill 3 months ago but have now stopped.
Also with clothes quite a few shops trousers' are too big for him and its starting to worry me!!!!!
Ok im finnished, sorry for going on for so long but i wanted to explain the situation fully. Opinions and advice are most apprechiated. thanx!

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Pannacotta · 11/08/2007 22:25

DS1 was 9lb 2 when born (and was a few days early!!). He is now average for his size, if not a tad small.
I wouldn't worry, if your DS is healthy then am sure he is fine.
Kids come in all shapes and sizes and not sure birth weight is too much of an indicator.

hunkermunker · 11/08/2007 22:26

What build are you and your partner?

He sounds fine to me - trousers are often a weird size for children and I know lots of people who find this. DS1 is 3.4yo and still wearing trousers for 2-3 - but when he was 16mo, he was largely wearing 9-12m trousers.

DS2 is similar - slightly taller, I think, than DS1 at the same age but very lean. He's 18mo and wearing 9-12m trousers which are almost a bit short - and 12-18m trousers that are about right for length but would fall down without a belt.

Please don't try to fatten him up - if he's active and cheerful, he's more than likely fine.

Original poster

talkative · 11/08/2007 22:33

me and his dad are both average build (i am a bit overweight atm but that has no bearing!) i dont want to fatten him up because i know that will lead to him being a fat kid and i know i shouldnt worry too much about his size as he is happy and healthy and i am so grateful and thankful for that every day but i just worry that if he keeps on like this there will be nothing left of him by the time he's 2! lol

OP posts:

serenity · 11/08/2007 22:36

It's just one of those things I think. DS1 and Dd were big and stayed big (both 95th centile) DS2 was also big (but not as) at 8lb 13, but at 7 is steadfastly Mr Average heightwise, and because he's very slim and built quite delicately he looks very small (and young!) compared to the other boys in his class. If your DS is happy and active, then I wouldn't worry about his size.

With the clothes thing - DS2 can and does still wear pants, shorts and T-shirts in age 5/6, he also has tops and long trousers in 6/7 and is also wearing some of DS1s old 7/8year tops. I wouldn't worry too much about wearing the 'right' sizes tbh.

crokky · 11/08/2007 22:36

A MW told me that the size of the baby at birth is to do with the environment in the womb. Once the baby is born, size will depend largely on genetics. A big baby doesn't always turn into a big adult.

CarGirl · 11/08/2007 22:38

Had 3 big babies they are now all on different centiles 98th, 91st and 50th def to do with the fact that I grow big babies but yet am very vertically challenged & petite build myself.

3andnomore · 11/08/2007 22:42

well, if your son is happy and healthy looking he probably is..and milk really is not as important as t is made out to be.....
just because he was a big Baby doesn't mean he has to be a big toddler or child or adult....don't worry on the grounds you have given anyway, iykwim

sparklygothkat · 11/08/2007 22:45

I was chatting to a mum at the school, her DS is in the same class as DD2, anyway he was 10lb at birth, my DD2 was 3lb 8oz, and my DD2 is bigger than her DS now. She is still small for her age, but he is tiny..

babyboo1and2 · 11/08/2007 22:46

my ds was 9lb12oz (and 62cm long)at birth but his weight steadily fell during his first year - at one point a hv was insisting it wasnt right but when we spoke to someone more senior she said exactly what has already been said in this thread - birth weight has nothing to do with child/adult weight - it is related to genetics and since me and dh are average our son was just slowly thinning out - he is now average height and weight for his age

in contrast my sil had a small baby 1 year after a had my son - her dh is huge and slowly her ds has taken over my ds in height and weight despite being a year younger - genetics again

Feenie · 11/08/2007 22:47

My ds was 2 weeks early and 9lb 2 (am very grateful he didn't wait till full term then!). He is now 20 months and has been on the 9th centile for over a year. He eats well and bfeeds, but his Dad isn't tall and neither am I.
After stressing me out about his weight vs birth weight for ages, the hv eventually conceded that some mothers 'just grow them better' and no-one knows why. So big baby doesn't mean big child. Ds has always been round, chubby and healthy but small, never bothered me, he's obviously fine.

LadyVictoriaOfCake · 11/08/2007 22:52

dd3 was born 2 weeks early (induced) and weighed 7lb 13oz i think (3rd child, cant remember details lol). if she had been born at term i think she would';ve been hitting 9lb. and she is tiny. so so small for age. is 2.5years old and fits fine in 12-24month stuff. yesterday she was wearing trousers for 12-18month. she was below the 9th percentile.

and to compare, dd2, born one week early, weighing 9lb is now almost 5 and the size of her older sister who is 7.5years old and a '50percentile' child.

all kids are different.

macmama73 · 11/08/2007 22:57

Feenie
I am a bit at hv comment

My DD always needs clothes in a smaller size. Wears 4-5 years and is 5.5.

DS is 2 years younger, similar birthweight and size and wears size 3-4. Sometimes I even buy the same size for both of them.

Don't worry, as long as he is healthy and the hv/dr is not concerened then just enjoy your DS

Feenie · 11/08/2007 23:03

It's as close as my hv will ever get to saying something which has any basis in fact! I knew what she meant, but agree it came across badly. I'm used to it!

tori32 · 11/08/2007 23:07

Does little one rest during day? If yes must just have fast metabolism. If no need quiet time to relax and save calories. If he is eating well, isn't thin and hasn't dropped more than a centile don't worry. Very active bbs burn off more than they can consume due to having a small stomach. Give higher fat content snack for calories and full fat varieties of dairy including butter not marg.
My lo doesn't like milk so I have to give her weak decaf tea with lots of milk.

(nurse)

SusieHughsie · 11/08/2007 23:09

DD was 8lb 10oz when born and no-one can ever believe it when I tell them as she is tiny but perfectly healthy. She wears age 3-4 clothes and she is 5. My DS is similiar, he was 7lb 10oz and is now 2.5 and wears 12-18 months clothes.

Doctor once told me that just because they were a large birthweight does not mean they will always be larger than average. DH and I are not big so it makes sense that they should not be.

Dont worry as long as your DS is healthy and happy.

alucard · 11/08/2007 23:19

I'm sure birthweight isn't indicative of how big you are later. My friend has had 3 tiny babies. all under 5lb at term but they have all been roughly average size within a year.
They can have totally mad growthspurts too. My ds was wearing 18-24month trousers for well over a year and but only wore age 2-3 for about 3 months and now wears 3-4. He must have grown really quickly but I didn't notice him eating more.

hermykne · 11/08/2007 23:24

talkative
would you say he is "lean"? both my kids are quite lean but healthy looking, they were 9/3 and 11/2 and breastfeed like you.

my ds trousers are always lose and i wonder why they seem manufactured for a bigger waist but i dont go by clothing brands for me or them!

iamasurvivor · 11/08/2007 23:49

parents build isnt always an indication as to how the child will grow, i am a big woman but my dd was only 6lb 10 oz at 9 days late.

she was breastfed for almost 9 months and despite health visitor not being happy when she droppeed off the 90th centile i never bowed down to pressure to 'top her up' with formula. i only started giving her 1 formula feed per day when she was 7 months old and i had returned to work, even though i did express at work initially i was knackered because i was working nights.

anyway back to my point, breastfed babies are always leaner than formula fed children because the weight is more evenly distributed. my dd is now 3.4 yrs but still has the waist of a 2 yr old, she only weighs about 2.5 stone, yet you couldnt meet a more healthy and energetic child, she is like the ever ready bunny.... i know its easy for others to say but really stop worrying he will be fine.

Original poster

talkative · 13/08/2007 16:26

replying to hermykne; yes i would say he is quite tall for his age but has a thin waist. I agree with the fact that manufacturers seem to make clothes for the bigger kids too!
I mean, he is waring some 12-18month trousers and they are ok in length (some need to be turned up a little) They just seem to fall down at the waist all the time if they are not adjustable.
He is wearing all tops and jumpers in 12-18 months and has biggish feet for his age (size 5 nearly a 6) its just his waist.
I am going to weigh him today as havnt done for a few months now and i will post tonight what weight and centile he is on!!!
Thanks for all your advice everyone this is very reassuring i am not so worried anymore.
P.s replying to tory32 yes he does nap during the day and he does have some high fat snacks but i do tend to give him the healthy options (dried fruits, breadsticks yogurts ect) any suggestions for healthy but calorie rich snacks??? he does have cheese, biscuits, sweeties, sometime cakes ect but other suggestions would be apprechiated..... thanx!!!

OP posts:

tori32 · 13/08/2007 22:46

maltloaf quite good for calories and fruit. cereal bars e.g.alpen with yoghurt etc. plain biscuits which he has sometimes anyway. add extra cheese to things like beans, mashed potato and grate on vegies, eggs. Hope that helps! oh forgot to say occasional milkshake if its the taste of milk your dd doesn't like.

good luck.
Forgot to say my DD was 9lb 12oz and is still on same line, however like others say doesn't mean anything. Prob also to do with hieght of parents cos my hubby 6 4 tall!!

mimsum · 14/08/2007 10:46

birth weight bears very little relation to size as a child/adult

my eldest was 6 and a half pounds at birth and stayed small-ish until he was a toddler - at 10 he's now above average height and because he's very sporty he's slim, strong and muscly

my second was 9 and a half pounds at birth - stayed big until he was a toddler and although he's still tall, at 7 his arms and legs are so thin I sometimes wince when I look at him

My eldest sister was very small as a baby (5lbs) and I was 8 and a half - as adults we're both the same height and dress size

if he's happy and active, don't worry

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