Weight at one year

[patty]

I was wondering what your preemies weighed by their 1st birthday. Randall had a WIC appointment Friday and they acted very concerned about his weight. He was 16lb 11oz and 27 and a half inches. I feel like he is doing well and is very healthy and no cause for concern but they want to bring him back in a few months to recheck. We have his 1 year check up with his regular dr. next week and she has never been concerned before about his weight gain so I will see what she thinks. Does this sound about right compared with your preemies at a year? I am not sure how much experience the nutritionist has with preemies so I am not too worried.

[trish]

Sounds fine to me! Ali was barely even a preemie & she was 17.5 lbs & 27.25 inches at a year. This week she was still under 19 (at 16 months) so just over a lb gain in 4 months. Her Ped is fine with it but we still get "she looks too small to be walking" comments nearly daily. I think in general people are so used to big fat babies that smaller than average ones seem *really* small.

How is he compared to your other babies? Ali is only slightly smaller in height & weight than her sister's were at the same ages.

[mlcoltrain]

My DD is almost 5yrs old and is about 30lbs and 43" tall. She was very early and a mirco preemie. But some of it is genetics, both my husband and I were term babies, but tall and thin until puberty hit. Our ped's have never been worried as long as she continues to grow in an upward curve. For weight, she has never been on the chart, but she has growth spurts when she is supposed to and is following an upward curve. I think my DD has a high metabolism, plus she never seems to be still, the only time she isn't moving is when she's asleep. When you talk to the ped, just make sure you DS is following an upward curve and if they aren't worried you shouldn't be either.

[megan78]

I don't think the doctors even understand what to look for in Preemies sometimes. My son is 17 months old, he is 30" tall and 24 pounds and they say he is overweight. He was 2lbs 11 oz at birth...so tiny. Thats CRAZY if you ask me. I am choosing to ignore it....my doctor was concerned, but he looks perfectly healthy and he is a wonderful, active kid. As long as they are healthy and meeting milestones, I don't think its a problem. I hate being told hes overweight, it makes me angry! ignore them!

[jenn]

Patty, I echo everyone ahead of me. I went to WIC with Jaidyn when she was in infant, and let me just say that my experience was much the same. Jaidyn didn't chart and the world was coming to an end. I understand they have a job to do and standards to meet... but don't take it personally.
You know your doing EVERYTHING RIGHT and your son is on the smaller size.
I recently planted marigold seeds ... some are growing faster than others and I cared for them with the greenest of thumbs. It's not gonna' change how they flower or the care I'll continue to give.
The same goes my girlies Jaidyn is 43 lbs on a good day and 8 yrs old, Natalia is 4 and 39 lbs.
And if I'm not mistaking, Jaidyn weighed in at 16 lbs around 1 yr too.
Good things come in small packages ;o)
Watch, Randall will beef up and be star linebacker in high school!!
Much love to you, Jenn

[jamie w]

My full term Anna was 18 lbs and 32 in at one year. It was at one year that i finally gave up on the whole weight gain battle. She is tall and skinny and will likely always be that way. I echo the ladies above- if he is growing then he should be fine. Also- are they plotting him on the regular growth chart or using his adjusted age? Adjusted would put him at about 10 months IIRC and I think 16ish lbs at 10 months sounds pretty darn good. I think people forget that there is a wide spectrum of shapes and sizes. You are doing a great job, keep it up!

[lilliputianmama]

I think he sounds great, and as long as he is healthy and gaining and his head circumference is growing, that is what truly matters. I can't remember off the top of my head right now what the girls weighed, but they were both very small. Darsie is still small at four and half and Elise is finally on the charts at two (23 lbs).

[sckitzo]

I think my daughter was 16pds at a year also. She is now over 4 years old and only 10pds heavier. Last she weighed 27 pounds. I looked back at my growth as a kid, and I followed the exact same growth pattern. She is a slightly thinner but 2 inches taller. I was a smaill baby but term, I believe 6.3 when I was born. So I think that she is not being effected any more being a premie, but she will likely always be small like her momma. She is healthy and active (even though you can still count every rib she has) Unless he is getting sick more often or not meeting milestones, things like that let him take the lead and kept provideing healthy meals. Thats all you can do.

[fancy19]

Mine was born 8 weeks early @ 3.5 lbs. SHe weighs 20 lb 10 oz 1 week after her first birthday.

[emersons mom]

Sounds normal to me, both my husband and I were about 16 pounds at one year as was our son.

We have always watched the height to weight ratio chart more than the percentile for age since we are all short!