Having a small baby in this big baby world

Sylvia - posted on 03/31/2011

Oooooh yes. My DD was 6lb at birth (40 weeks and 1 day), 16lb12oz at 12 months. She's 8 and a half now and weighs less than 45lb. She's very healthy, rarely sick, extremely active, and eats plenty (although I must admit her food repertoire is very limited -- she gets that from her dad :P). Nothing wrong with her at all.

I used to get comments on her weight all. the. time. when she was a baby. Not so much these days -- she's skinny, but she wears jeans and t-shirts so it doesn't really show, and she's only a bit below average height for her age. But when she was a baby I had lots of people ask me if she was a preemie, and she was constantly given clothes sized for her age, not her size, so they sat around for years waiting for her to grow into them.

DH is 5'9", I'm 5'4" (DD is not genetically related to me, but our egg donor is similar to me in terms of height and build). On her dad's side she has two aunts who are less than 5'2", and even the men in DH's family aren't tall. The typical build in his family is fairly lean. So there wasn't a lot of reason to expect DD would be huge :D

I did have some moments of insecurity when she seemed SO much smaller than other people's kids, but we always had some friends who also had smaller-than-average babies, and since she was obviously healthy and happy and hitting her milestones ... It is a pain fending off the possibly-well-meaning-but-possibly-passive-aggressive comments, though. :P

Jenn - posted on 03/31/2011

My first was 5lbs, 12oz and upon leaving the hospital she weighed 5lbs,6oz. She was full term. We did have to put her in preemie clothes for about a month or so! To this day, she is just a tiny little thing. Perfectly healthy and ahead of her class academically! She weighs around 44 lbs now and thinning out even more because she's growing taller (she's 6 1/2)...yes, I have always gotten comments about her weight but I don't get upset. When I exclusively breastfed her, I knew she was getting exactly what she needed, had healthy bowel movements and PLENTY of wet diapers, hit every milestone (usually early) and continued to grow steadily. Even now she eats very well. I work to make sure she is introduced to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Her favorites are avocado, tomatoes and broccoli!

Guess I'm saying, if you know your children are healthy and growing as they should, then that's all you have to say to those who question you :)

Heather - posted on 03/31/2011

my babies were all pretty small my son weighed 5lbs 10 ounces my girls were 7 pounds and 6 pounds 4 ounces they are now 10 year old 6 year old and 2 year old all 3 are considered to still be slim but they are all tall and they were always very healthy. Not everyone is the same size and that is what I would tell people if they were critisizing my childrens weight.

Brenna - posted on 03/31/2011

I see all of the posts with “small babies” 6lbs or more LOL, I wish! My oldest daughter was born two weeks late and weighed 3lbs 2oz! We had to take her home in Cabbage Patch Kids clothes (That were still a bit big) because we couldn’t find anything her size. She was perfectly formed and fully cooked just small. She walked, spoke, and potty trained earlier than most kids her age but was always on the lowest end of the size and weight chart. She is now 18 years old and 5’1” tall. She is smart beautiful and very health. Don’t worry; God makes beautiful things in small and big packages...

Penny - posted on 03/31/2011

My baby was 5lb 1oz when he was born and we are expecting our next baby to be small also. My first was born a week late too! I was only 4lb 7oz at birth born on time too, so the hospital are thinking that this is genetic. I've had it all too "why is he small??" "you must have been a smoker" "what did you do in youre pregnancy so make him so small?". Took me a long time to gain a thicker skin and my answer now to "why is he so small? or "why was he was low birth weight?" is "no reason, it's just the way he was" Took some practice so it just rolled off my tongue!!!

Miranda - posted on 12/10/2009

My daughter is 2 1/2 and is almost 24 pounds. She was 5 lbs, 7 oz at birth. She's so skinny, she wore 9 months shorts this past summer. Everybody is always surprised at her age. Some people think she is one because of her size, but she has older features, speaks well, and walks and runs like an older child, so other people will think she is three or even four.

Tammy - posted on 12/09/2009

My son was 6 pound 13oz at birth (full term) and now weighs 13 pounds at 5 mths. He is a very active baby and is bf and eats quite well. Most of the other babies are formula feed in our family so they are quite alot bigger than him, he is always compared to the other bubs but i am really pleased to bf and wouldnt have him any other way.

Lauren - posted on 12/09/2009

my daughter was born 6lb 2 oz and is now 5 months old and weighs 11 pounds. my husband is deployed right now and everytime i tell him her new weight he almost freaks out saying i should feed her more but her doctors say she is fine and she wont eat anymore. if i even try feeding her a tiny little bit after shes done she just spits it up. but she is very active and strong. she was rolling over at 2 1/2 months old and is now in the begining of crawling. she pulls herself up and sits up well. i think all babies are different and as long as the doctors are happy we shouldnt worry about it.

Jodi - posted on 12/09/2009

Yep, my 4 1/2 year old is still tiny. She was born 5lb 2 oz at full term. I used to get asked the same (whether she was a premmie). And really, she is still in the 3rd percentile for her weight. At her 4 year old checkup, we were asked 20 questions because of her size, and it was a bit annoying, because that's just the way she is.



Her height has mostly caught up to the other kids (she is within and inch or two of most others her age), but she is just very petite. BUT she is the most energetic active kid I know!!! She'll climb a tree just to keep up with her older brothers, she talks non-stop, she dances around the house constantly. She told me if I want her to stop I have to take her batteries out......

Melanie - posted on 12/09/2009

My daughter was 6lbs 8oz and my son was 6lbs 12 oz. Yet my son at 2 is the same size as a one year old. When he was born he was so small that we had to buy premature baby clothes (even though he wasn't). If your small your children are small. I used to get oh is he about 6 months when he was a 1 yr old. No matter what you feed them they are going to be small x

Dawn - posted on 12/09/2009

My 3 yr old ( 4 in may) is just under 30 lbs and 34 in tall. His waist is 18months and pants with his legs being a 2t. There isn't anything my little guy can't do. He climbs on my counters which are about 4ft high. He gets into, on, under and around any obstacles in his way:) He was 5lb 9oz when he came home from the hospital and 16 and 1/2 in long...full term:)

Katt - posted on 12/09/2009

I don't have a small child, she's 10 1/2 months and 23lbs but I know quite a few people who do have smaller children...and they do get it, they ignore it because they know they're baby is healthy. On the other side of things ALL the time I get "what do you feed that kid" or them thinking she's way older....And she honestly eats healthy and doesn't over eat, i'm 5'8 130lbs and my boyfriend is 6'2 and about 230lbs so were both bigger than average thats what I tell everyone genetically she is bigger that usually shuts them up.

Melanie - posted on 12/09/2009

My daughter is 22 months old she is 24 lbs now . When she was born she was 5 lbs 4 oz . she is very active always on the go . but i dont know if she is smaller or bigger them most babys her age .. Dont worry what other people say you know what is right for your baby . they dont . plus every baby is different

Whitney - posted on 12/09/2009

That makes me laugh. My boys are both 6 and they just had thier physicals and they still don't weigh 40lbs and are only 43" tall!! I laughed sooo hard when the doctor told me. After 6 years of people asking if they are younger than they are, I just roll with it. Oh! They were 6lbs 8oz and 6lbs 11oz when they were born (full term).

Betsy - posted on 12/09/2009

It's more important to look at their growth rate. If they are steadily growing at a good pace, they are healthy. Remember growth charts for kids are just averages. Kids are like adults and come in all shapes and sizes.

Our kids have always been on the smaller side. I'm small at 5', and my husband is lean and 6'. We both were 5 lb 13 oz at birth, but I was overdue, and he was a twin. My 19 yr old and 3 yr old were both 7 lb 4 oz, but the 19 yr old was overdue, and the 3 yr old was 2 weeks early. Our only girl was the most overdue and 6 lb 6 oz. Our twins are 2 and are still small, but they were preemies at 5 lb 12 oz and 4 lb 10 oz. At 2-1/2 they are in size 18 mo pants, but they have grown steadily at a good rate since birth so no concerns. They love to eat, so that's not an issue. If a child is in the 90th percentile, then keeps dropping and are in the 5th percentile, that is what gives drs reason to look and wonder why their individual growth rate is slowing down, but it the child starts in a lower percentile then remain growing at that rate, then they are just natural small. Same with a bigger child.

Yesenia - posted on 12/09/2009

My 23 month old baby is just over 23 lbs. People are always telling me how and what to feed her. The Dr. says my kids are just little but growing steady (usually in the 25%) since birth. He really is not worried. She is doing great, and I love it because she is my little girl a little bit longer.

Patience - posted on 12/09/2009

i dont have small children but i had a friend that does my 3 year old is 44 lbs and my friends 4 year old is about 30 lbs.and her son who is 5 is about 40 lbs some kids are just smaller then others i think its normal. it just matters an genetics

Beth - posted on 12/09/2009

I'm 5'6.5" my DH is 5'9" so we are pretty average to tallish in height. Our DD was born at 34w 3d - premature by exactly a month prior to her due date. She was 19 inches long and 5lbs 9oz at birth - so long and skinny. She continues to be visually smaller because she is tall and thin. She's only a little over 40lbs now and around 48-50 inches.



We have short people in my family so it was expected. My younger sister was born ten days to two week over due at 8lbs 9oz and she was just the same as my DD.



Other than that I could answer that she was indeed a premmie - I would just tell people that she was following her growth curve since birth and that the dr. is happy with how healthy she is and that they would be surprised at how much she eats.



Her height has been in the 90th percentile since birth and her weight has always been in the 5th percentile - this is what is the most important factor.

Theresa - posted on 12/09/2009

My babies were smaller too. 6lb 15oz, 7lb 12oz and 7lb 5oz. They were all full term and were and are completely healthy. The oldest didn't reach 100 lbs until he was in middle school. (We used to joke about him taking his driver's test in a booster seat.) He's now almost 14. He's 5 ft 9in and weighs only 110 lbs. He loves the fact that he's skinny. It's hard to find jeans to fit him though. The next one will be 11 soon and he is just under 100 lbs. But he's much more muscular. The littlest is only 14 months and she's not even 22 lbs. I could technically still have her in the newborn car seat. Peopls always say she's so petite. I just agree. Their Daddy is pretty skinny so I sometimes tell them that, or just agree and ignore it. If you want to be flipant you could always say "Well in today's world of excessive obesity I'm glad mine are small." I've never said that , but I have said "I know, and he/she eats constantly, I wish I had that kind of metabolism." I think a lot of times when people make that "little" comments they don't mean anything by it.

Frances - posted on 12/09/2009

It's funny I have the exact opposite problem. My son was born at 42 weeks and was 9lbs 2oz but he gained about a lb a week until he was 7 months old and is now 35lbs and 35" tall. I am constantly hearing how "chubby" and even "fat" he is and people always think that I over feed him. He eats less than most babies I know and he is extremely active. The stereotypes go both ways if that helps any. I think people need to stop judging babies based on the size of their own or the norm. All babies are different just like all people are different. Just because people think our babies are "too small" or in my case "too big" doesn't mean we aren't great moms who are doing our very best. I also find that many moms are the most judgemental about issues that they are struggling with themselves. All the best to you and your "little" ones.

Lauren - posted on 12/09/2009

yes..my son is 13 months now but was born at 6 lbs 7 oz and left the hospital at 5 lbs 13 oz..he was actually born a week late! he looked like a premie and actually the 0-3 month clothes were too big for him..now at 13 months he's 19 lbs..i always hear people bragging about how their babies or they know babies that are 6 months old and 20 lbs..but then i realize, i only weigh 99 lbs, why would i have a 30 lb baby..my son is very very healthy..he had acid reflux but he's fine now..he eats, he's smart, his brain is developing normally, and the pediatrician says he has an advanced vocabulary..about 10 words and repeating everything i say, i guess only 2 are expected at this age.

Andrea - posted on 12/09/2009

I have one of each. I have a boy who takes after his daddy and is a big boy 34.5 lbs and 34.5 in tall.. and a girl who is 8 months and is 15lbs and 27.5 long.. she how ever was born a month early, but i wasn't big girl so she is taking after me..So yes i to get the ?'s i just say yes she was but she has gotten to where they want her to be or i look at them and say she is a happy baby so i must be doing something right

Becky - posted on 12/09/2009

I had small babies when they were born. My first one was 6lbs 12oz. She is 18 now and is still a peanut. She stands 5'1" and weight in at 105lbs. She was always small. Her brother and sister were also small but made up for it. At one point they wore the same size clothes and all of them are a year and half apart. Don't worry about it if they are healthy. Just smile and say they are fine.

Cassie - posted on 12/09/2009

Both of my children were small also. My daughter Hailey was 5lb 11oz and my son Ashton was 5lbs 7oz. Both were born at 37 weeks. Hailey is now 7 and weighs just at 40lbs and Ashton will be 2 next month and weighs about 21lbs. I can totally relate to the unwanted advice from others. I've learned to take their words with a grain of salt. I know at times you can feel almost insulted by peoples comments but remember that you are their mother and you know that they are healthy and happy. I reference my childrens doctor. If your kids were unhealthy... their doctor would let you know about it!

Cheyenne - posted on 12/09/2009

I have. My son was full term and only 6lb 7oz. Everyone says he is so tiny. It doesn't really bother me because I know he is getting enough to eat. He is just really active and mostly muscle. Don't pay attention to all the others who say your baby should look or weigh something specific. They mean well, but they don't always know what they are talking about.

Kristen - posted on 12/09/2009

if you were small, chances are good that your children will be small. mine were 5lbs5oz, 7lbs2oz, and 5lbs4oz. all of them have always been healthy, but the 2 smaller ones are still petite.