Low weight-for-length

[SpringCrane]

My little guy just had his two month appointment yesterday. He is 98th percentile for height (25") and 4th percentile (11 lbs) for weight. His pediatrician asked a lot of questions about his eating habits. He's exclusively breastfed, on demand. He seems to eat less often for a shorter duration than my first son, but has normal numbers for wet/dirty diapers and seems satiated after each feeding. My first is always high for height and low for weight too, but not to such an extreme. I'm a little worried, so I'd love to hear from others that have experienced the same!

 

[Rainbow82]

My little one isn't as extreme as your little guy but his weight is generally 2 lines below his height ie height is above 50 and weight is just above 9th. Is it possible you little one has just had a growth spurt? when that happens to DS he doesn't put weight on for a few weeks but his height shoots up really quickly (4cm in a monTh between 4 and 5 months) and the gap between height and weight widens till his weight catches up a bit.

 

[DaisyDreamer]

it could be a lot of things, a growth spurt in height now he just needs to put on weight, could just be the way he is built. It is so hard not to worry about LO's whether they are getting enough especially when BF. But my general rule is if they seem happy and healthy and they poop and pee enough, they're doing just fine

 

[Eleanor ace]

DD2 (8.5 months) was on the 75th centile for her length and the 9th for her weight for quite a while. She evened out recently and is now 9th for both (and her head circumference too). The HV/GP weren't really bothered about the discrepancy between length and weight (which I thought was odd!), they were bothered about her dropping several centiles for he weight (she was on the 91st at birth I think). Now she's evened out I'm expecting her to stay this way, but I did ask her paediatrician whether the action plan would change if she went up again for her length and he said no, some people are tall and thin :shug:.
What are yours and your OH's families like height/weight wise? That's what I'm always asked; if you have family members who are tall and thin it would be more likely for your LO to be the same.

 

[SpringCrane]

We do run tall and skinny in both sides of the family, so it's not unexpected. It's just the extremes are a bit shocking. He's a very happy baby, so it seems likely he's eating enough... he just doesn't nurse like my first did. He loved to eat. This little one just doesn't seem to get any enjoyment out of it. Does that sound weird? My first had the content milk coma thing after eating, whereas this kid rarely falls asleep at the breast. I'm really trying to not read into it and remind myself his ped seemed satisfied with his growth... and remind myself I can't compare my boys as they're individuals... but I do worry he's just not happy with my milk or something.

 

[BlingyGal]

He could be a more efficient nurser than your first ie: requires less time to get the same amount of milk. My daughter has always been very efficient despite being born a month early. I'd often get comments, 'oh that was fast! Did she get enough?'. Umm yes, she gained a pound a month for the first nine months of her life so I'm pretty sure she's good, thanks.

As for the percentiles, someone has to be in that range, if you know what I mean. (My daughter is 10th percentile for height, nothing I can do about it, it's just how she is). And remember, those charts represent the range of acceptable growth - it's a wide range but it's all 'normal'. Put the chart out of your mind and just trust your mother instinct and observations - your baby is healthy and happy.

 

[jessmke]

We do run tall and skinny in both sides of the family, so it's not unexpected. It's just the extremes are a bit shocking. He's a very happy baby, so it seems likely he's eating enough... he just doesn't nurse like my first did. He loved to eat. This little one just doesn't seem to get any enjoyment out of it. Does that sound weird? My first had the content milk coma thing after eating, whereas this kid rarely falls asleep at the breast. I'm really trying to not read into it and remind myself his ped seemed satisfied with his growth... and remind myself I can't compare my boys as they're individuals... but I do worry he's just not happy with my milk or something.

My DD sounds like your little guy. She treats nursing as a source of nourishment and nothing more. She doesn't particularly like to nurse, and if I try to put her on the boob when she isn't hungry she gets very upset. If she is scared or hurt and I try to nurse her it just makes it worse. She comfort nursed for the first time during wonder week 26, but now that that is over she no longer comfort nurses. She has never fallen asleep on the boob. I've been worrying for the last 6 months about her weight because I worry she doesn't eat enough, but she has been following her curve perfectly fine (20th percentile for weight). I know it's easier said than done but try not to worry and trust your LO to take what he needs.

 

[minties]

Are you absolutely sure the person measuring his length did a good job? I only ask as Sophie was being measured and they thought her length was way higher centile than her weight at about 5/6 months but it wasn't. I didn't think it sounded right and measured her myself an then had a different health professional measure her and she agreed with my measurement. The original nurse was pushing solids saying she was underweight when she was actually the other way around!

Does your baby seem thin? It sounds like they'd be skin and bones with that ratio. I don't know how many weeks your baby actually is but 11lbs is 4.9kg and that is pretty much 25th for 8 weeks (25th centile at 8 weeks for a boy is 5kg). 11lbs/4.9kg is third centile at 12 weeks.

 

[SpringCrane]

They measured his length accurately (I actually measured him a bit longer at home). He is definitely very long. He's 2.5 months and outgrowing his 6 month sleepers in length (he sleeps completely stretched out and he's filling the length completely). He doesn't look like skin and bones, but I agree, the ratio sounds like he would. He looks lean, but still has adorable pinchable cheeks My first was just shy of 12 lbs at 1 month, also long, but looked chunky, whereas at almost 3 months this guy is just at 11 lbs. But baby 1 was 6 days late, 8 lb 11 oz, and 20.5". Baby 2 was 10 days early, 7 lbs even, 21".

I'm hoping he just shot up in length and will fill out next. People comment on his length frequently, but no one has said, "he's so skinny!" so I'm taking that to be a good sign

 

[minties]

The WHO charts don't indicate that his weight is at such a low centile so I wouldn't worry so much about that. Sorry but we use metric here so I have little understanding of pounds .

 

[bananaz]

Has he always been pretty low on the weight percentiles or has he been dropping down?

The questions about feeding and bowel/bladder habits are totally normal, btw, so don't take them as a criticism of your baby's size. We have to ask them of everyone at well child checks!

 

[SpringCrane]

He was 7 lbs when he arrived at 38w4d, which I think had him in a pretty comfortably "average" range. His 2 day check and 2 week check he was lower percentile than birth, but not this low. He only lost a bit at 2 days and was definitely gaining at 2 weeks.

Her questions were specifically following a discussion about his weight... but she did seem satisfied with my answers and didn't express further concern.