Losing weight...any suggestions?

[ihearttc]

Just after some advice if possible?

DS2 was born 23 November last year at 32+5 weighing 3lb 8oz...I had severe pre-eclampsia.

Had no problems breathing and was just tube fed for 2.5 weeks then bottle fed in NICU before I got to take him home.

His weight gain has never been massive but we were plodding on quite nicely and he'd reached 18lb 10oz which I was really pleased with until HV came to do his 12 month check and weighed him and found out that he'd dropped to 18lb. I know it's not a massive drop but it feels like a step backwards.

He is extremely active-he literally doesn't stop all day...he crawls faster than the speed of light and is pulling up and cruising around everything so I sort of knew he wouldn't put on much weight but actually losing some feels like such a kick in the teeth. None of my friends seem to understand...all I get is "it's only a few oz's...it doesn't make much difference". Well maybe not...but they haven't had to worry about every single bloody oz over the last year.

HV basically said that as he's nearly a year old he should have caught up my now and there is no reason he should be losing weight...and he should be the weight of a "normal" 1 year old as he wasn't that premature!

He actually eats a reasonable amount although not a massive milk fan-I struggle to get much in him at all but he loves cheese and yoghurt thankfully!

I know logically he's not that small compared to some of your babies (who are absolutely gorgeous btw...I've been having a nose at the photo's!) but he just seems so dinky around others of the same age. He's 71 cm tall so completely in proportion (I think he's about the 9th centile for both height/weight).

Don't know what Im asking really...just needed to "speak" to others who have been through the same thing!

 

[AP]

I think what you are doing is perfect! Especially getting the yogurts and cheese into him!
We had slow weight gain until just after 1, her appetite seemed to catch up with her in the end! If you can , offer small snacks between meals too.

 

[Marleysgirl]

Andrew's neonatal Paediatrician had an obsession with him "catching up" - he was around the -4SD percentile, and she would comment every visit that she'd like to see him climbing the percentiles and catching up with other children ...

He still hasn't. He puts on weight steadily, and has maintained his own curve on the chart, rising slightly from the -4SD to the -3SD but still below the 0.4th baseline.

She finally gave up nagging. And then we switched to the community Paediatrician, who is a little more relaxed about these things - so long as he is eating, she's happy! Personally I think your HV is talking rot.

 

[ihearttc]

Thank you! Yes we've upped his snacks quite a lot...it does feel as though he's eating all day long though lol!

We've actually been discharged from the neonatal team as he was doing so well...but we're now under ENT as he's got Larygomalacia. We've got to go back in December for them to review him again and if it's not improved they are going to have a look down with a scope and see what's going on. I don't think it would have any effect on his weight gain but am going to mention it when we go I think.

Thank you so much for listening though...honestly if one more random person in the supermarket asks how old he is and then says "oh isn't he small?" I might actually thump them lol! x

 

[lozzy21]

If it makes you feel any better my LO was born at 35 weeks and weighed 8lb 15 and when she was weighed a few weeks ago at 11 months she was 18lb 11. So your LO is catching up. He's put more weight on since birth than she has.

I think the guidelines are for them to triple their birthweight by the time there one which he has done plus more.

Is that 9th centile actual or adjusted though?

 

[lozzy21]

Right iv just worked it out because it wasent adding up. Your LO is on the 9th centile for actual age, if you go by his adjusted age which your HV is supposed to untill the age of two I think it is he's closer to the 25th centile.

Ignore your HV she's talking crap. It can take them a few weeks after becoming more mobile for them to adjust how much they eat to give them enough calories, I'm sure he will soon put it back on plus more.

 

[ihearttc]

Bless you...I didn't even think to check if she'd done it on his corrected age! I'm so used to the hospital doing it automatically that I just assumed she would as well! Your little girl is exactly a week older than Joseph...she was a fantastic weight for 35 weeks!

I've got a 6 year old as well and although he was slightly prem (born at 36 weeks weighing 5lb) he rocketed up the centiles and now comes up to my shoulder cause Im only 4ft 11...so was sort of expecting Joseph to do the same but he's obviously got his own agenda!

Will see if I can work out how to put some pictures on here of him!

Thank you so much.

 

[Marleysgirl]

Triple their birthweight by the time they are one?

Hmmm ... Andrew was born at 1lb 6oz. So triple would be 4lb 2oz ... heck, he was almost that by the time he was discharged