Anyone can tell that Anya is unusually small. She's turning 9 months old this week, and grew into 6-9 month outfits last week. She has virtually no baby fat, and we estimate her weight to be around 15 pounds.
Her pediatrician has always been concerned by Anya's weight. She has always been in the 0 percentile for weight, and just isn't catching up very quickly at all. Dr. Brownstein, as well as all of the other pediatricians at the clinic she works at, is also pretty baffled by Anya, since pretty much all babies who have trouble gaining weight are listless, sad, and just don't look well. All of you who know Anya know that she's a happy little firework who's always going everywhere and getting into everything! Her size aside, she looks happy and healthy. She has been hitting all of her developmental milestones beautifully (except sitting up, but that's due to a genetically inherited lack of bottom. Free cookies to the person who guesses if it's Daniel or I that passed on that trait!) and doesn't act sick at all. The strong muscles in her little body are very defined, and she eats like a horse! She, overall, is very healthy. However, I can't help but worry when I see other babies who have baby fat and realize mine doesn't.
Anya's on a pretty strict diet of baby food mixed with baby cereal and a scoop of formula at least four-5 times a day. In between these meals, she eats peanut butter sandwiches, cheerios, and gets lots of bites of whatever I'm eating. (within reason, of course. I would never give her popcorn, hot dogs, or anything that I know would make her sick or hurt her.) She easily drinks 16-20 oz of formula during the day, sleeps enough, yet in spite of all of this, is still skinny as could be.
Don't get me wrong; I'm extremely thankful for how healthy, active, and funny this girl is! Sometimes, though, I see her compared to other kids and the "mom worry" kicks in full force. With the "mom worry," my mind gets flooded with questions like, "Am I not feeding her enough? What else could I feed her? Is she sick and no one knows it?" etc. etc.
As I mentioned before, Anya's a little firework, and said firework is going to make the heavy vacuum cleaner tip over on her cute little body without Mommy intervention, so this is me signing off with a question for you, my faithful 2.3 readers: What higher calorie foods do you give/ have given your 9 month old children? We're willing to try anything!
I know it's hard not to be worried, but she's probably just a small girl. If she's happy, then there's really nothing to worry about.
ReplyDeleteRaiden is the same way. He just turned 15 months on Friday and is still in 6-9 month cloths, and he eats like a little piglet! At his 12 month appt. he was just barely 19 pounds (Kayde was only 18 at that age).
I think, that with all the "fat" babies out there, the ones who are started on baby food at a month and weigh more than 20 pounds before 6 months (it's disgusting, really), we aren't realizing that our kids are at a good, normal, healthy size.
You're doing a great job as a mommy, and you have an amazing daughter. It's hard not to compare our children to those around us, but there's no need.
I am not a mother but I agree with Brandi, I have seen some pretty chubby babies over the years - but I think if she is happy and healthy, and looking at Daniels genes (he seems to be a tall, lanky guy) that she is just naturally a small baby. :)
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