Not gaining weight...... PLEASE HELP!

Michelle - posted on 05/07/2010

I agree that you should switch doctors. Find one who looks at your child and not some silly chart/graph to determine health and wellness. Both of my babies were long and lean. Right now my son is 95th for head, 50th for height, and 5th for weight. He did just start taking toddler formula (he just weaned BF right before his 1st b-day) and that is helping bulk him (but not much) up while providing vitamins. We don't eat any dairy, so soy toddler formula is a good supplement for him now.
When my daughter was young we added "butter" to everything (toddlers process cholesterol differently than adults, so no worries) and left bowls of snacks all around the house so that she could graze anytime she wanted. If they are hungry, they eat.
Good luck!

Francies - posted on 05/05/2010

Hope your daughter is better and has gained weight.

Katherine - posted on 04/19/2010

My husband is 6'4, but he was a peanut when he was little. My first daughter was too. I was tall and skinny. I think doctors really do lack in people skills these days.

Jaimie - posted on 04/19/2010

wow... im a little shocked at the dr...
ok.. my daughter refuses milk at all times... wont drink more then a mouthful.
we feed her cheese and youghurt, she eats what we eat for dinner in a much smaller portion, she will have 1/2 a sandwich for lunch... and has taken to sharing my breakfast rather then eating her own.

i hope this dr hasnt made you feel any less of a mother, because your not.
some children are small and others are large, my daughter was 6pound 3 ounces when she was born. lost weight in a week and then gained like 120g over night.
since then she has been what they classify as a little fatty, until now.. now she is tall and average for weight
try offering her snacks through out the day. some kids are grazers.
also look at your self and daddy, are you small? or are people in your family small...
there is not necessary anything wrong with your little one. maybe she hasnt had a growth spurt yet...
i hope this helps

Katherine - posted on 04/18/2010

She LOVES avocado's!! Well kids who are allergic to milk are under weight: period.

Cathy J - posted on 04/18/2010

I would really look for a new dr. your child is under weight but she is healthy from the sounds of it.. Maybe high mettabolism

Cyndi - posted on 04/18/2010

You are a customer and your doctor is giving you advice, but as an informed customer you need to keep advocating for your daughter. You must do what is best for your family.

My son is also considered "underweight" by the medical community. If it were not this same community who told me I could not get pregnant then I may have some willingness to believe them. My son is 13 mo and 19.7lbs.

Unfortunately, he refuses to eat an avocado. Even when it is made into a smoothie with a banana and applesauce (two of his favs). We still BF 3 times a day, but it has not made a difference in weight. We are now adding cheese to every meal. He loves beans so he eats tons of those too.

Cathy J - posted on 04/18/2010

It has extra nutrients in it.. Try this with her meals as her drinkd

Katherine - posted on 04/18/2010

I understand they need the fat for brain development. My daughter eats and eats and eats. For example: breakfast was half a buttered bagel and an entire banana, AND cereal. She runs all over the place. Maybe I will try the pediasure, good idea. The problem with that, though, is it's filling and she does eat.

Cathy J - posted on 04/18/2010

My Olivia was the same way.. Have u tried pedisure for kids. U can also offer her High protein drinks u can make for her. Like smoothies. Try to add some rice ceral to her veggies or fruit if they are pureed. Try choco milk too!!!

Katherine - posted on 04/01/2010

Hey Rheannon MY daughter is in the 3rd percentile for weight. THIRD!!! They told me the same thing. Bring her back in a month, we are concerned blah blah blah blah. As long as she's healthy and you know that don't worry!!! They also told me to add butter and get high fat everything for her. A lot of moms I have talked to have been going through this, junk and I don't know why. Do they want the kid to have a heart attack by 2??

Misty - posted on 03/28/2010

My daughte r is about 17 lbs and picky...my dr suggested i give her pedisure and even suggested chocolate milk or any other flavored milk that has more calories, I also give my daughter v8 strawberry bananna smoothies and she has put on about a pound or more in a month

Leanne - posted on 03/27/2010

My daughter is the same. She turned 1 on the 13th and at her 12months check up she only weighed 19 lbs. she had barely gained in the month previous. She was born 7lb 6oz so was a great weight but is just a slow gainer and ive given up worrying because she is happy, active and sleeps great. They told me that if she wakes up during the night then its because she is hungry

Jennifer - posted on 03/26/2010

My son also had a hard time putting on weight for a while. Avocados became our best friend. He ate at least one every other day. He seemed to really like the texture and they are high in the good kind of fat and calories. Also, my son still is not a big fan of milk but I found that mixing a baby yogurt with enough milk to get it thin enough for drinking out of his sippy cup worked. I wouldn't stress about it too much, active babies sometimes just have a hard time getting enough calories into those little stomachs. Good luck!

Mari - posted on 03/26/2010

Wow...that was rude of your dr to mumble. TIme to change drs. I agree with everyone above....your little one sounds like she is perfectly fine, just on the small side. Give her more fatty foods and snacks between meals and she will be okay. My little one just turned 1 on March 9th and she is 18lbs 13oz and 29in. Dr said she is fine as long as she's growing. She's in the 10th percentile for her weight.

Dorothy - posted on 03/23/2010

My son is the same way he just turned 1 on March 10th and he only ways 19 lbs and is 27 inches long his doctors say hes alittle under wait and he a little short but all he wants to do is eat and wont gain a pound and they must not see how short me and his father are. On top of that my son has been walking since he was 10 months and 4 days old and all day long he runs threw the house.

Francies - posted on 03/23/2010

i have a one year old and he has eating problems to just give him lots of finger foods through out the day and in no time u will have a chunky monkey try crackers and slices of cheese

Rheannon - posted on 03/22/2010

Thanks everyone! Alyanna is drinking more milk now.. I had to put strawberry syrup in it for her to drink it, but she drinks it! We have started looking at calories now & are getting her snacks with high calories. My husband & I absolutely are against a feeding tube if doc says she needs one, and we will get many second opions if needed. I really don't want to switch her doctor because she is amazing, she is just blunt & I sometimes don't think she realizes when she says somethings. Alyanna has had many health issues since birth & she has utilized everything in her power to help us & I think that is another reason she is concerned because she has had issues with reflux & such in the past. Thank you for the input, I was scared no one would answer!

Bec - posted on 03/22/2010

My little girl turned one on the 22nd, she weighs 15lb 6oz..
She only gains about 400g a month-so not much at all..
I stopped taking her to the child health nurse because all i got was upset and terrified that my child wasnt healthy, when i knew otherwise..
I took her to a different health nurse who asked me to do a 3 day diary of what Asta ate and after reading she said there is nothing wrong with her, some babies are just small, like your daughter,Asta doesnt like milk and never has. But she eats plenty and is very very active..
I wouldnt worry to much about what your doctor has said to you,but if you are really worried i would take her to another doctor to see what they say.
Goodluck!!

Krystal - posted on 03/22/2010

Hi hon, my son was 12mths on the 4th March, He too is only 8.75kgs (17lb 12oz) and 74cm (29"). Wil doesnt gain as much weight as he should as he has food allergies (which we are getting ski prick testing done next month) He also only has milk (BF) twice a day but can only eat fruit, vege & meat so not much calorie intake there. He was 7lb 14oz at birth and started in the 50th %, now tracking the 3rd %



I have been referred to a dietician regarding his food intake and she is going to put him on a calorie liquid that you mix in their current foood. That would surely be better than a food tube? Maybe question that.



Good luck..let us know how you go. Hopefully i can start getting a bit of weight on Wil too :)

Jemma - posted on 03/22/2010

i have the same problem with my little girl who is 1 we were told if she hasnt gained weight by her next weight check they will just add extra calorie supplements 2 her milk nothing about feeding tube i would seriously think about changing your doctor :)

Shelley - posted on 03/22/2010

yer im sure she will be fine...my nephew will be 3 next month and only weighs 26lb and a year ago he weighed 25lb so he's only put on a pound in a year but he's healthy...she would have slowed down cos she's moving about more than she use to...just give her more food through out the day xxx

Danielle - posted on 03/21/2010

First of all no doctor should mumble under their breath wile talking about the health of your child. And you should never have to fear taking your child to the doctor. My best advice is switch doctors. All children develop differently, and although she is rather long, she is only a few pounds under what my son is! And My doctors tell me he is doing just fine. She will catch up.

In the mean time add calories to her diet without her knowing. Make her cereals with milk instead of water, and even add in her favorite fruits or veggies to the mix. Let her snack on the Gerber finger foods and yogurts through out the day. Introduce new foods to her, see if she will eat beans, and cheese. My son loves this! And this is an odd fruit to try, but let her go crazy with Avocados! They are fattening, but the good kind of fattening!

Hang in there, regardless of how average she is today, she IS going to continue growing. And don't let some doctor tell you she is not normal enough. Let them run tests, it will ease your mind as well as theirs, but no one should make you feel like a bad mother because your child is not gaining fast enough.

Beck - posted on 03/21/2010

What is she eating during the day? Will she take milk from a cup?

Rheannon - posted on 03/21/2010

She was 8lbs 7oz at birth & she is walking... not like a pro yet but she walks. She has doubled her weight but she is only in the 7th percentile now & when she went for her 9 month check up she was in the 25th.

Shelley - posted on 03/21/2010

awww bless her...wat did she weigh at birth? is she walking or just crawling? cos wen they r getting about alot the slow down in gaining weight...my son is like ur daughter with the milk, the only time he will take it is at bedtime...hope she starts gaining weight soon xxx