Parker had her 18 month check yesterday. All was well with one small exception. She weighs less now than she did at her 15 month appointment. She's down to the 4th percentile. Now I know the flingiflangin' percentiles don't mean a thing, but it still sort of freaked me out a little. We're attributing it to her near month-long battle with the Flu Monster when she lost over a pound in 10 days. But she's such a crappy eater, it worries me.
I shy away from the term "picky eater" but it's what everyone else uses. It just sounds so high maintenance and prima donna-ish. My girl is high maintenance in other ways, I won't deny it, but I just do not want to call her a picky eater. I've been called that for most of my life by people who don't know me very well and I hate it. If knowing what you like and don't like makes you "picky" then I guess I am, but it's definitely one of my hot buttons. Parker just doesn't like food all that much. Frankly, it's how I was for 35 years (until I became pregnant), so I get it. On the other hand, I want her to thrive. I want to be able to find pants/shorts/skirts that fit. I waffle between making her eat whatever we are so as not to promote the "pickiness" and not caring and letting her eat whatever just so she will eat something.
Normally we would not be expected to go back for another well baby check until she turns 2, but the doctor wants to monitor her weight so we go back in 2 months. If she is not increasing her weight, we'll probably have to get her tested to rule out the remote possibility that there is a reason for her small size other than that just being who she is. I am 90% not concerned about it, I think it's just her, but there is that 10% mother part of me that lurks in the back of my brain worrying for my baby.
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I feel your concern. She was sick for awhile, so hopefully that contributed to the weight loss. I know it's got to be tough having a kid who doesn't care about eating. Good luck in the next 2 months!
We ARE raising the same child! Marin lost weight for a few months, which did freak me out. She's in the 3rd percentile, and everyone thinks she is MUCH younger than she is. (Her lack of hair doesn't help this).
She's back to gaining weight again, but is also a very poor eater. There are only a few things she will eat. I do sneak milled flax seed into some of her meals, to get some Omega3's into her and put some fat on her. She DOES have some chub, but not like the truely chubby babies...
Try not to worry. She's probably just going to be small. (My twins were always in the bottom percentile's too and they are very healthy!).
She may just be a petite girl. Don't sweat it. If this had happened and she wasn't sick recently, then you might have cause to worry.
Try sneaking high-fat things in her diet, if she'll eat them. Ice cream, maybe? Peanut butter? Cheese? Or maybe those children's supplement drinks? I think Ensure makes them.
I don't worry much about percentiles, either: SOMEBODY'S going to be at the low end of the bell curve and SOMEBODY'S going to be at the high end, but the whole bell curve is normal range.
You could call her "a light eater."
There is not a thing wrong with her. She's a light eater, like Swistle said. I completely empathize, as I'm certain I'll be hearing this from the pediatrician about Ella and I'm also certain I'll be worried about it.
But we shouldn't be worried.
I have the same dilemma nearly every day: do I enforce a "you eat what we're all eating for dinner or you don't eat" rule so as to (eventually) eliminate food battles, or do I suck it up and let her eat pancakes and pb and j all day long if that's what it takes to get her to PUT A BITE IN HER MOUTH?
She's no longer super tiny (until recently she was always in the tenth percentile) but she is by no means a stocky girl, and people always comment on how thin she is for her heighth. But then they ALSO comment on how she's a "picky" eater and how I really shouldn't let her "get away with that." WTF, people? I can't win! And I am not interested in adding further battles to our day. I think that at this point, forcing her to eat vegetables and meat would be endangering both of our mental health more than it endangers her physical health to allow her to forgo them.
I hear you. But I really try to not worry about it, as I know you do. My feeling is that she is way too young to have food issues. She will eat when she's hungry. As long as I'm feeding her something I know she likes, I don't push food on her. Now, if we are having something for dinner she's never had before and I have a valid reason to think she might not want, then I might give her a few minutes with the new food and then make her a chicken patty or something. I think that's just fair.
I also really am struggling to push snacks. It's hard to find time because she still naps twice a day so I feel like I'm ALWAYS getting some sort of food for her. But she eats a lot of cheese and the whole milk yogurt.
Hang in, I feel your distress on this, as you know. But she's happy, she's alert, she's making her milestones, so you are obviously doing the right things. She's just petite.
The whole % thing drives me crazy. Bottom line, you know your daughter. Aside from being sick, it's not like she is a lifeless waif....she's a normal toddler. Try not to sweat it, though I know it is hard.
CA is always in the 10th for her height, she is solid, but short. The doctor always has something to say about it--the fact that she only wears a size 6 shoe at almost 3, but whatever. My reasoning is that I am very petite under all of this.....she takes after me.
I tried (and failed) to adhere to the "they'll eat when they are hungry" rule. My daughter could hold out for what seemed like months. I hate those percentiles.
I was the same way until I got pregnant, now I will eat anything!
I think it is okay to feed her what she likes as long as its not just M&M's.(except for dessert)She may start to eat more of a variety when she gets older. T changes his tastes frequently, but has always remained in the 95th percentile, meaning, he has a big head.
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