Little little dude

[lukaelmo]

Hey there,

I am looking for a bit of reassurance.

Little dude just had his 6 month check up (a little early, he is 5 and 1/2 months and his measurements are off the percentile chart, as in very low.

He weighs 5.7 kilos (up from 5.2 about 6 weeks ago) and is 60.5cm long (strangely one cm shorter than 6 weeks ago!).

He is fully breastfed and he feeds around about every four hours - sometimes with a longer break at night, sometimes not.

He is not skinny, has a little bit of chub and is very happy and alert. I am only tiny myself, just 159cm tall and 45 kilos.

The doctor said that there was nothing to worry about, but I am of course, worried. Is there anyone else out there with a little little dude too?

Should I be worried?

Aaaaaaaaaargh! I am worried!

[SugarBlossom]

No! Don't be worried!

The charts are based on bottlefeed babies, and are very old!!

He sounds very happy and healthy, and very much like you.

The chn's have a bad history of making people worry:mad: ....i don't go anymore.

Hugs to you....he sounds fine!;)

And it's great your breastfeeding!

[jasminesmum]

;) I have a little dudette.:D
My dd is 8mths old and only weighs 6.8kg.
At her 6mth check she weighed 6.1 kg and was only 59cm long.
So she has only put on 700g in 2 and a bit mths.
I use to worry but now I don't.As long as she is eating fine and is healthy that is the main thing.The doctor told me as long as she is going up on her own curve that is fine and don't worry about the charts.
I too am only short (158cm, you beat me)so I think my little girl is going to be just like her mum.

Try not to worry.Your little boy will probably grow up to be 6ft tall. ;)

[Supermum]

Hi Ali

Well you said it yourself ... you're just 159cm's so it's highly unlikely you've bred an Andrew Gaze!

It all sounds very normal to me and he's feeding well.

My son, who is nearly three, is in the 10th p/c for height and 50th for weight. We have constantly had comments about his size since birth ... like there is anything I could do about it even if I wanted to (which I obviously don't). They are what they are! My daughter, 20 months, is in the 5th p/c for height and 50th for weight. They've been the same since birth. A bit shorter than their peers but happy and healthy little packages nonetheless!

You're doing a fabulous job - and as long as bubby boy consistently puts on weight and is healthy ... there is nothing to worry about. Well actually we're parents, we always worry - maybe that's one less thing to worry about??

[veve]

LOL - my man is at the other end of the scale - in the 97th percentile for most things (he is a porker ...he even has a big head...) if you weren't worried about him being little - you'd be worried about him being big (not to mention the comments you get about how BIG the baby is!!!!:rolleyes: ) ...

looking at your avatar he is a spunky... gorgeous... happy little man :)

xxx
Jen

[JanetF]

Beautiful! Perfect! He's growing perfectly for his genes and his breastfeeding :) Keep up the brilliant work! He doesn't need to be a sumo wrestler ;)

[HoopDeeDoo]

Every baby is different just like every adualt. As long as his curve is going up thats whats meant to be for him. :p
My son started out below the scale and is now in the 90th for weight and 50th for height. I only go to my GP now, the CHN's made me feel insecure and made me feel very patronised.

You said yourself your little dude is happy and healthy and thats what matters!

He is your son made with your genes so if you are short chances are he's gonna be too, although he's got the rest of his life to have a growth spurt!

[lukaelmo]

thank you thank you thank you thank you!

I feel much better now
:)

[lucyp]

Hi - you sound like you and your bub are doing fine! We had the same concerns as you with our little one and someone from buhub posted the below to me - which reassured me greatly - hope it helps you too :)

Remember that those books are only an average and to get an average of the population you have to have the biggest and smallest of the population. Additionally, they are now regarded as outdated and based on predominently formula fed babies who gain weight differently to breastfed babies and given that babies feeding is much more diverse that it was when the charts were done, the World Health Organisation is issuing new ones due out soon that reflect the current diversity of babies. People have to fit elsewhere on those charts and not on the average line. Additionally, if my husband and I were put on such chart we would not be on the average anyway. People have to sit somewhere so do not be too alarmed. As long as they are following a curve (does not have to be on the average line) of growth then that is all you need to worry about.

[reAllytee]

Dont worry bubs is obviously like his mum !
I get the opposite as bubs is huge :p
And if i went by the doctor who was on telly middle of last year ranting about the charts being outdated & inappropriate for bf bubs then my bubs would have been classified as obese.
Dont worry what others say if you know bub is happy & healthy feeding well etc then you know your doing all the right things :D

[JenNT]

Im at the other end, Had Lucas's 4 month check today and he's 7.24kg and 65cm both 75p/c.
Pork Chop!:p

Like someone said, BF bubs will tend to be on the smaller scale but not lacking in anything so don't worry.

[W & T's sleepy mummy]

My boys are the same Allyoo. Will is off all the charts - has been since he was born, but in the opposite direct. Ty Ty is within the percentiles but not by much.

I seem to be really lucky - we have 2 child health nurses in our centre, one is a truly special older lady who loves everyone, and the other is mid-30's who loves to laugh. Lots of people seem to have such bad experiences with them, but these women have been a god-send to me. Although, if they are right, Will is going to end up around 6 ft 4, Ty around 6 ft 3!!! I'm only 5 ft 7, but tall runs in our family!

[reAllytee]

W & T's sleepy mummy - Yeah i cant boast about my CHN enough ! Yes ive had one who was horrible so i made sure i never saw her again at my centre there are about 6 on rotation but the other 5 are fantastic i go there even if im feeling a little down & they always offer great help etc.
I dont even want to know what bubs is going to be when he is older as im sure he going to beat me up by the time he is 2yrs old !!!! He is already going into size 2 at 10mths rather scary really especially as im only 5'4 but dad is 6'5 hehehe so yeah he definately takes after his dad & then if he hadnt had spinal surgery it looks as though he wouldve been taller :eek: .

[bubbles28]

My son was little at 6mths too. He weighed 6.4kg and his height was 64cm and his head size was 42cm. He was still on the charts but only barely. I went to the CHN and she got me so worried. At the time I was fully BF and she suggested that I put him on a bottle of formula as well. The worst mistake I could have made was following her advice as then my DS started to wean himself from the breast and I wanted to fully BF untill he was at least 12mths.
There was nothing at all wrong with him, he was perfectly healthy and happy just on the little side.
So as long as your bub is happy and alert I wouldn't be worrying at all. Like the others said, you are little so it's probably genetics.