# Is my Toddler TOO THIN?



## AurorasMommy (Feb 3, 2006)

My daughter is going to be 3 years old in 4 months. At her 2 year well child she weighed 23lbs. This put her in the 10%-25%. She right now weighs 27lbs, which means she has gained 4 pounds in 9 months....

She has always been in the 5%-10%, and before she was 6 months old she wasnt even on the charts.... (Medical problems)..

She is a great eater, VERY VERY VERY active!

Should I be concerned that she isnt gaining weight? It kind of seemed weird that today she fit into her brothers shorts, which were size 6-9 months! She just seems so skinny!

I just dont want to be overlooking something that could be wrong!

Thanks,

Megan


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## Kleine Hexe (Dec 2, 2001)

What do you mean she isn't gaining weight? She gained 4lbs in 9 months.

Kids come in all sizes and shapes. Some are big and some are small. I happen to have very small ones.

My 4.5 yr old only weighs 5lbs more than your dd. He can still wear size 24 months shorts.

Look on the bright side....you can keep her rear facing in the car seat for longer and that's safer.


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## donutmolly (Jun 9, 2005)

Sounds exactly like my DD, she was 22-23lbs at 2 years, and will be 3 next week -- weighs a grand total of 28lbs. She's a good eater and very active. I sometimes worry -- but I try to look at my kid rather than the charts.


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## deditus (Feb 22, 2006)

4 lbs in 9 mo sounds fine to me, and actually it is fine (I just checked kellymom):

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/so...ds.html#growth


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## mackysmama (Jan 11, 2005)

My dd will be 3 in two months. She weighs 28 lbs. She looks, and is, healthy. My son, who is 6 tomorrow, is the same way. They lost their toddler belly early and it's just the way they are built. I notice a bit of weight gain before a growth spurt but after a growth spurt they are very trim. And, they were all pudge as babies. My son's pedi says it is healthy to see ribs on a boy, but not on a baby.


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## staceychev (Mar 5, 2005)

My daughter will be 3 in July and she's 26 pounds. She's always been small. Her father's family is all small. It's just the way it is. (My sister's son, on the other hand, is huge! We laugh about how he's in 4T clothes at 2-1/4 and Lu is still able to wear some of her 18-24 month stuff at almost 3.)


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## Julianito (Mar 14, 2006)

My son just turned three, and his weight chart sounds nearly identical to your daughters. He is a strong, healthy boy, but 5-10 percentile. Bear in mind that those charts are off of the average American baby/ child. Meaning often formula fed, with more packaged food and snacks, TV time, and stroller duty than most MDC moms feel comfortable with.

Your daughters appetite is the best guide of what she needs to eat. Just provide her food and snack opportunities, and let your worries slide away







.


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## LianneM (May 26, 2004)

DS is 3y3m and he JUST hit 30 lbs.


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## SusanMy (Apr 17, 2008)

Thanks for starting this thread







. My son will be three at the end of September and he hasn't topped 27.5 lbs yet (he's been fluctuating between 25 and 27.5 for the past several months). According to the WHO growth charts, he's on the low side for weight but somewhere in the middle range for height. I just keep reminding myself that, like OP's daughter, he's full of energy, both physical and mental. He's also been the picture of health since his preemie birth at 33 weeks (yay breastmilk!). He still nurses and eats home-cooked, nutritious food. If a child is a good eater and seems otherwise happy and healthy, I wouldn't worry. Oh, and I've found it best to totally ignore how other people's kids look compared to mine and just remember that both my husband and I were skinny minnies all through childhood, even though we ate plenty







:.


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## littlemizflava (Oct 8, 2006)

my dd was about that at that age maybe even less then that....she is still small 6 and only 36lb


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## Himom (May 25, 2005)

My DS is 5 weighs a whooping 30 lbs. He's only been sick 1 time with ear infection all his life and even that it only took him 2 days to get through. When everyone in the family takes turns to have a cold, he somehow escapes it. EVERYTIME.

Since birth, his weight is always under the charts. His height is around 75%, so his thinness really shows. I used to worry when he's younger, but seeing how he's so healthy and active, I quit worrying about charts and focus on the child. Both DH and I were really thin as kids, so genetically he's predisposed to be thin.


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## AurorasMommy (Feb 3, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *emgremore* 
4 lbs in 9 mo sounds fine to me, and actually it is fine (I just checked kellymom):

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/so...ds.html#growth

Thanks for this link!

Well I am glad to see I am not the only one who has a petite toddler! People will say, Awww she is so small!!!! She isnt though, she is pretty tall, just lite as a feather!

I think from having my son, he is the COMPLETE opposite of her. He is BIG, and CHUNKY! So it makes me think, GOSH she is so skinny!!! She thinks its funny to suck in and show her "Rips" Meaning her RIBS! LOL!

Its actually nice to throw on some of her brothers clothes on her.... she can pull off his shorts pretty nicely! And they dont look bad!!!! Hehe.... so I guess I am lucky, he can wear her stuff, she can wear his! And they are almost 3 and almost 4 months, How funny is that!!!!









Thanks everyone for chiming in.....

Megan


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## knowerofnada (Dec 4, 2006)

Megan, Don't you know you should be giving her Pediasure?? Kiddin'







My two year old DD (27 months) is 25 lbs. She eats very healthy and is extremely active. She's perfect, and yours sounds like she is too!







Don't get caught up in the stupid percentile stuff. It's pretty meaningless stuff, really.


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## eepster (Sep 20, 2006)

My DS is in the *zero* percentile (which really just means there aren't anylines on that part of the chart







.) Funny thing is I know several other kids in the "zero percentile" and I don't know hundreds of children, so either the charts are inaccurate, or I just happen to be a statistical anomally.

We all have a similar story of being sent for dozens of test that simply showed our children were perfectly healthy, but skinny. We all also had other tiny people in our immediate families. For instance my DH is only 5'4" and about 110#. FIL is around 5'1" and maybe 90# wet. Another woman I knew with a bottom of the chart LO looked like she barely topped 100# pregnant.

A great reasuring book is My Child Won't Eat!


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## Ofwait (Feb 16, 2008)

Is your child healthy and happy?

Mine is also very small and skinny, but I am getting food allergies investigated for him as there definately are some issues.
Most of the time it is comletely normal.


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## jassyp101 (Oct 28, 2005)

My 2 y.o. weighed 19.4 lbs at her 2 year well child visit. She's active, super smart, eats well, still nurses, talks, sings, dances and is just small. I was the same way as a child.


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## 1babysmom (May 22, 2006)

My DD is really thin, but VERY lean. She was just barely 22 lbs at 2 years...and she was 21.5 lbs at 18 months!!! She did gain a bit when I got a ton of colostrum in a few months ago, though (I think she's at 23 something lbs now?). She's always gained slowly but has a ton of muscle and is always on the go.


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## Amila (Apr 4, 2006)

My DD is almost 2 and she just recently went from 20 lbs to 22 lbs. (32 inches). She was stuck at 20 for like 6 months, lol. I wouldn't worry if she is happy and healthy.


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## Equuskia (Dec 16, 2006)

I've always said toddlers should be like cats. They look thin, but feel hefty when you pick them up. My dd is 2.5 years old and weighs 26 lbs. I was a little worried that she might have been too thin, but the nurse at WIC told me that my girl was fine, that it was the other kids that were too heavy! DD is super active too, she can't even sit still to eat. So every bite she takes she burns it doing a lap around the house or spinning in place.







If your toddler looks and feels healthy and at least gaining some weight, I wouldn't worry about it.


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## [email protected] (Feb 6, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Equuskia* 
I've always said toddlers should be like cats. They look thin, but feel hefty when you pick them up. My dd is 2.5 years old and weighs 26 lbs. I was a little worried that she might have been too thin, but the nurse at WIC told me that my girl was fine, that it was the other kids that were too heavy! *DD is super active too, she can't even sit still to eat. So every bite she takes she burns it doing a lap around the house or spinning in place.







* If your toddler looks and feels healthy and at least gaining some weight, I wouldn't worry about it.

sounds like my boy.

DS is 3 and comes in at 27 lbs, on a heavy day. He doesn't eat much but he is super active and has never had anything worse than a cold. Kids come in all sizes, just like adults.


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