Pot belly on 16mo ? Is this a cause for concern?

[Laces38]

Hi can anyone help please..

I have noticed the past week my 16moDS has a very large pot belly. Does this look like the normal pot belly to you or little on the large side? I have tried to look back at photos and have seen it’s always large but think it’s more prominent now? Should I send a picture to my GP? Pictures included

It's definitely bigger than my 16mo's belly. I can only compare alongside my LO so perhaps it is normal but I'd definitely check with the GP.

My DS is exactly the same op!
No health professional has ever questioned it.

@SleighbellsZ ah ok thank you that’s good to know!

Tbh we haven’t ever seen a HV face to face I might ask them to check as getting a doctors appointment is pretty impossible! Google is terrifying when I type in about a large pot belly so I have scared myself silly all night.

Looks like my toddler, I remember worrying about the same thing took her to the gp who had a feel and it was soft so no concerns, said it was to do with stomach muscles not being developed. I would get checked just for piece of mind.

I think I'd want to get it checked, when he's laid down can you feel anything when you press his tummy? Is he eating and drinking okay?

DD gets a little pot belly just before a growth spurt. Then she shots up in height and it gets smaller again. Had he just had his dinner?

Does he drink a lot of milk?
My dd was like this until she was nearly 4, she didn't like water/squash and just used to drink milk.
We used to call it her milk baby

My DS is exactly the same. It gets bigger throughout the day as well. He is under numerous consultants as he was prem but none have every been concerned about it

@Laces38 Looks like my DS (14months) OP! Had the HV this week and I questioned it and she had a feel of his tummy and did his height/weight on the centile chart and said he was absolutely fine. He’s always had a wee pot belly!
I’d get it checked if you’re concerned though 😊
My DS walks round the house after his bath banging his bare belly shouting “tummy, tummy, tummy” 🙄🤣🤣

I’d have a look at constipation, OP. There was a book recommended on here called something like It’s No Accident. It explains that really quite a lot of toddlers are constipated, and this doesn’t always mean no BM. It can also mean BM that are very runny for no reason (called “overflow”) or hiding to do BM, there were 14 signs overall I think. Bottom line is it could be a partial blockage that’s causing the belly even if no outright constipation.

First instance recommendation is always increase fibre by a lot (Weetabix, grains, fruit + veg) and also liquids. The recommended water intake for a toddler is actually quite high. Then if no better I’d go to GP/HV and say you’ve done fibre and increased liquid and ask if needs disimpacting. If it does, you’ll be better set up for potty training in due course as well as constipation can hamper that.

He looks v cute btw!

This could be my 1.5 yo! He was just a massive, round, 97th centile blob, until he finally started walking. The weight has fallen off his legs and arms, but he’s still got quite a gut, which looks even more pronounced with his slimmer legs. Poos once or twice a day so not concerned about constipation. I think as he grows and strengthens his core muscles he’ll slim out more.

It makes no ends comparing your toddler someone elses.

Be concerned if he's stopped eating/drinking, complaining of tummy pain, had a change in bowel movements, if theres any blood in his poo, if hes vomiting, if theres any blood in his vomit and if hes generally out of sorts.

If he's fine and his normal self then its fine.