"They're meant to have little pot bellies at this age" True?

[AngelofTroy]

Micah definitely has a little pot belly, and although I think it's mega cute, I can't help but worry sometimes. My friend said they're meant to, but I'm not really sure! I can't tell if I'm applying adult standards of health to a toddler or if I'm ignoring signs that he's putting on too much weight. So, obviously all kids (and people!) come in different sizes, but on tin whole is it normal for their little tums to stick out?

 

[freckleonear]

Yep, pot bellies are totally normal in toddlers. They usually start to disappear around 3 or 4 years.

 

[LoveMyBaby786]

My lo is a skinny little thing but has a slight pot belly. Was worried at first but not anymore

 

[Leesy]

My lo one too, doesn't look it's going anywhere soon lol

 

[steph.]

Yeah, I think it's to do with the abdominal muscles not being strong enough...

 

[Mrs HM]

Hmm, my LO doesn't have a pot belly. He's skinny like his daddy and is straight up and down. When he sits down his tummy is all wrinkly, like an old mans would be, only his skin is obviously firmer!

 

[RachA]

It's nothing to worry about in toddlers. My 4 1/2 year old has a little pit belly-much more pronounced after a dinner of pasta. However she is like a stick insect, weighs less than the norm for her age and height.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Jades is massive lol all mine had one and now there is nothing to them!

 

[Rachel_C]

Yep, normal. I did read somewhere that people think kids shouldn't have ribs showing and that shows how our ideas about weight have changed (for the worse) but you can have a pot belly and ribs showing too - both my kids have/had.

 

[modified]

Yep, normal. I did read somewhere that people think kids shouldn't have ribs showing and that shows how our ideas about weight have changed (for the worse) but you can have a pot belly and ribs showing too - both my kids have/had.

My nephew has, too. He's got the biggest, cutest pot belly but his ribs are very visible too.

My niece, of the same age as my nephew (they're both 2), doesn't though. Her ribs are visible but her little stomach is flat as a pancake.

 

[jd83]

Totally normal. I think part of it when they are that little is their newly upright posture making it seem even more pot belly than it actually is. Just looking between my 2 boys, I can see differences in their posture where DS2 sticks his belly out more when standing than DS1 does. DS1 has much better posture now that he is older, than he did when he was DS2 age. He had quite a potbelly at that age too.

 

[smawfl]

DD has a huge pot belly, especially after a big meal

 

[AnneD]

Totally normal as far as I know.

 

[ruby09]

I asked our pediatrician about this a few months ago, and he said that it's normal for a toddler to have a big belly. He said at that age they're so tiny that there's really not a lot of space for everything to go so they all end up looking like they're all tummy.

 

[CoffeePuffin]

Amelia's a slim thing but has a pot belly which is even larger after she's eaten. It's perfectly normal.

 

[Eleanor ace]

Yep, normal. DS is 50th centile for weight, DD is just below the 9th and both have pot bellies

 

[Tor]

My boys are both skinny and on the lower end of the centiles both are ribby with pot bellies underneath.

 

[jodilee6]

Ribby with a pot belly here! I love his little belly and miss it when he has a growth spurt! He tends to go up then out

LO is ~26lb and on the 50th percentile if that helps

 

[sparkle_1979]

My nearly three year old has one.. My four yr old never has

 

[FAB mama]

At last check my LO was around 7th percentile and was just getting his pot belly. His ribs show too.