Skinny little fella ...

[Supermum]

Hi there

Thought I'd poke my head up to see if anyone else has this issue as people are forever commenting on it.

My son, 2 1/2, weighs just under 13kg (90cm) and has done so for the past six months. According to the 'experts' and every other busybody out there he is underweight. The kid eats like a horse but also runs laps faster than Phar Lap. Whilst there's not an ounce of fat on him, he looks healthy enough and has loads of energy (we call him Benergy). Anyone else have a skinny boy?

I'm not worried about his weight - just interested in those in the same boat.

[Kassiasmum]

Hi there,
I get comments all the time about how small my daughter is, she's about 70cm and 7.4kg at 18months. We have had her at specialists who have now finally agreed with us that there is absolutley nothing wrong with her, she is just petite. Boy can this girl eat, she doesn't stop all day and like your son is on the go all day long, if only we could bottle their energy and sell it we would be millionaires. How do you cope with all the comments, I get quite tired of it and tend to just give people that polite smile, can't even go to the shops without 5 or 6 people commenting on her size. Their all their own little people and I don't understand why people feel they have the right to comment on their size, you don't go up to an child/teen/adult and sya gee your little/big/fat/skinny, so why do it to a baby. I would be interested in some great comebacks to these comments if anyone has any.

Tracey

[Refresh]

Yep, I've got a skinny little chap too:) Hes about 9kg at 14 months...have no idea what he is "supposed" to be but I know that he is healthy and eats like a horse too! I am pretty sure he wouldnt even be on the chart. I have avioded doctors and CHNs at all costs - I know I wouldve got the old put him on formula or something trick heehe.

As mothers, we would know if something was wrong...I think developmenatl milestones are more significant than weight. Totally agree with the above poster in that we would never comment to adults about their weight, why expect babies to all grow at the same rate according to some chart? :D

[Refresh]

...Oh and mean to say, i think it is quite a worry just how much emphasis (some) doctors and nurses put on weight gain..I am sure it would freak alot of (especially first time) mums out.... :rolleyes:

[perrywinkle]

I have a 19mth old boy who weighs 10.5kg and 77cms in length, he's in the 3-10% section.

I wouldn't worry he'll have a big growth spurt or he'll just be a little boy thru childhood. That's what I was like when I was a little one.

Kylie

[madvoice]

As long as he's healthy and is reaching developmental milestones I wouldn't worry. Kids all develop in their own ways. Everybody is different. I wouldn't let those 'experts' give you a hard time. If he was sickly and not reaching his milestones only then would I be concerned.

[Chickadee]

Chloe is on the small side for her age, though we don't get too many comments since her hair attracts more attention than her size :rolleyes:

Some kids are always going to be at the top or bottom of the scale, in the 1% or the 99% curves. That doesn't mean they're not perfectly normal. If we were all "average", imagine how boring life would be.

[Supermum]

Thank you all - whilst I'm not concerned about it I'd like it if occasionally comments were made about his spirited nature, curiosity, eyes or energy levels. Societies obsession with looks starts early doesn't it? It just gets up my nose sometimes. I wouldn't have a clue where he is on the charts - I haven't looked. Even the MIL (not that her opinion means diddly squat!) says that he's short and skinny ... my response is generally - He is what he is ...


her hair attracts more attention than her size :rolleyes:

Both my son and I have the same colour hair as Chloe ... just not as much of it! That is one healthy and beautiful head of hair. Lucky girl.

[Chickadee]

Both my son and I have the same colour hair as Chloe ... just not as much of it! That is one healthy and beautiful head of hair. Lucky girl.

We have had so many "bluey" comments. I'm sure you've gotten even more with your son! Her colour is from her dad's side and both he and my sis-in-law assure me that Chloe will hate her hair until she's about 19 :D

[ThomasMum]

'Tis true. As long as your lil one's healthy and doing OK for his age I wouldn't worry!

I'd rather have not-too-chubby but healthy and happy Thomas like he always than the opposite iykwim!

:D

[Tisme]

I am constantly asked if my children are twins.

Ciaran is a Healthy petite man at 12.5 kg and age 3.7 years. Alana is a Healthy big girl at 11.5 kg and 21 months. There is about 3 cms between them also. But to me there is a definate old man look to Ciaran while Alana still has a baby face.

I hate that people out there (the motherhood police) feel that it is their place in society to comment on our children's health.

When it comes to doctors I laugh in their faces. According to the info in that Blue Book we all have Ciaran is OVERWEIGHT by 1.5 kilo and Alana is UNDERWEIGHT by at least 2kg. How they work that out I don't know she is REALLY pudgy and he has not an ounce of wasted skin on him.

Its a running joke with my gp now whenever we go to see him he asks Ciaran "how's my fat boy today??" which cracks him up with the reply "I'm 'tite not fat silly! You're fat" and a hi-5.

[Tisme]

The hardest thing about my petite man though is the size 2 clothes that he still doesn't fit into ..... come on clothing manafacturers get your act together and make a STANDARD for children's clothes so that parents like us with children of decreased waist measurements can actually walk into a shop and say "Yeah that'll fit WITHOUT alterations"

[Supermum]

Thanks Eleanor ... weighed Benny today - just 12.6kg. So he's slightly underweight ... His 'little' sister is 15 months and 11.1kg and she's overweight! He's nearly 20cm taller than her though and while he's a lean, mean, running machine ... she's more the J-Lo type with a very big bottom and pudgy legs (I love fat bums!) ... so it's not likely they'll be called twins. I understand about the clothing though. While Ben is just started to fit into 2's lengthways ... the waist's are always enormous so every single one of his pair of pants have been taken in both sides. A friend of ours has a boy the same age and he's 16kg - the pants always fit him. I would have thought it'd make more sense to manufacture the clothing to fit the average 2?? Go figure!

[rebecca]

THis weight debate with doctors, clinic nurses etc really does confuse us mums, especially first timers..My little man was induced to his "small size" and of course I have worried over his weight ever since...he is slowly catching up, at 6 months he is just hitting the 7kg mark and is around 70cm long..we wonder why women and men have so many weight issues, diseases later in life, as from the time we are born people are forever commenting on our size and whether we are too thin or too fat. I agree with all the other posts, as long as bub is happy and reaching certain developmental milestones they will be fine!

[redbaby]

Hi Guys,..

I have the opposite!! My little girl is just 12mnths and weighs nearly 13kg,.....She is very healthy and happy,..and doesn't actually eat that much,. I too am sick of people sticking their noses in! The comment 'An overweight child always leads to an overweight adult', is starting to drive me mental!!!!!!! I guess we just have to listen to our children and stop worrying about the supposed 'experts'!

[Supermum]

Yes ... isn't it funny how everyone else is an expert on your child!