Failure to thrive

[Paris88]

My DS was only a week early so not really prem, but at 6 mths old he weights just over 6kg, when he should be atleast 8kg, his older brother was 9kg at this age. He wont take a bottle of formula and isnt interested in eating much food, just afew spoon fulls of blended fruit then turns his head away. I am living in a non-english speaking country so cant readily access docs for advise. Would appreciate comments/advise/shared experiences etc Thanks

Have you tried finger foods - maybe it's the texture. There is also a new idea called Baby Led Weaning, which means offering food at their pace and they decide what they want. Just do a web search - quite a few sites. Also, if you had one of your children in an english-speaking country, was there a health visitor or similar you could telephone?

Hi Paris...his weight in itself doesn't seem that low...yes under what most babies would be but not worryingly..unless you think he is actually ailing...
My DS was born at 38+2 and weighed 8lbs (3.65kg) and 6.5 kg at 6 months...my entire family went on about him not gaining weight but actually he seemed quite happy.
Now at almost 2, he is still weigh less than most other children his age but there is nothing he can't do...he's just a bit smaller...how big are you and the father??

My family says he has his Dads frame, daddy is chinese, tall but skinny. DS1 has my european build, bigger bones and strong. Think we will do the finger foods idea, thanks, he loves teething rusks- so thats a sign i think. Thanks

Just remember that you need children of all shapes and sizes so that they can make those percentile charts. look it thia way... he wont have to worry about his weight when he's older!!

here if you need us...

I knmow it's so difficult not to be really don't worry. If your LO is doing well developmentally then weight isn't a massive concern for most.

DD was born 9 weeks prem weighing 0.983kg. She is now 10.5mths is still tiny at under 6kg - currently weighs 5.930kg!

BUT She is perfect in every way just small.

There is an obsession in this country whereby a healthy baby is seen to be a bigger baby but, as chilledmama says babies come in all shapes and sizes. The 50th centile isn't a target to aim for it is the average and it is only the average because by definition 50% of babies will be SMALLER - my DD isn't even on an centile - she is below the 0.4th!

Paris he may just be dinky. Is he is porportion to his head/length?

If you don't mind me asking, what country are you in? Just because my parents live in a foreign country and my mum has medical problems and now pays a small amount each month for a medically trained translator which she says has made all the difference.

Ds was born under the 0.4th centile for weight and at the first minute he went off his milk they sent him to a pead and he still gets 3 month check-ups even though he is now a year old and 50th centile, although still 2nd for length.

As Rascal says, I wouldn't worry unless he isn't developmentally catching up. My own ds is still 2 months behind every developmental milestone but I've been told not to worry because it works out at the size he was born at (6 wks early but the size of 10 weeks early)

Every baby is different and all this centile business just worries parents unneccessarily.

rascal - so glad to hear your lo is doing well. Think I've changed my name since last been here but remember your dd had IUGR too not long after mine.

Thanks TtP - what was your previous name?