height/weight at 18 mos

[kdreher]

I think I'm just having a day where I wish my pregnancy had been different and Michael not a preemie/IUGR baby.

At his 18 mos check up today he weighs 18.6 lbs and 30 inches long. The pedi mentioned doing a monthly weight check and said he's not worried or overly concerned but just wants to watch the trend to see if he stays steady, has any dips, etc.

Michael's overall health is very good, we are dealing with some speech/hearing issues, but he is fully walking now, babbling, eats very well and a variety of things, plays well, good hand/eye and dexterity. He is VERY active. I'm just bothered a bit today...like "here we go again with more stuff" and I feel like at any drs appts I'm very much on the defense now.

Michael is a happy funny kid...I just feel alone sometimes with this stuff and can't help but worry sometimes.

[timelessbeauty]

HUGS! Michael is a very handsome little boy. Wish I could convey that you are not alone as you have a whole host of supporters. You are one fabulous Mama! Sending you much love and many hugs!

[trish]

My Ali was 19.2 and 30 1/2 inches at her 18 month visit. She grew a whooping 1/2 inch but gained 3 lbs in the next 6 months to be 22.4 & 31 inches at 2 years. I'm grateful to have a Ped. who wasn't worried & just said let's add some Pediasure and/or carnation drink mix & get some extra calories into her. She's almost 2 1/2 now & wore an 18-24 month bubble suit today, and she has 6 & 12 month shorts that still fit nicely. Oh well, like you said, they are happy and healthy & so active - and that's what really matters. (((HUGS)))

[missgamecock]

To make you feel better. Kirsten was a late preemie. At 1 year, she weighed 15lbs! At 2 she was like 18lbs. She did not grow really till she was in first grade and then she took off. In first grade she was wearing 3t clothing. In addition to her meals, she also had to take pediasure from 1 to 5 years old. She gained 20lbs in one year in first grade which made her ped at the time flip. She was still underweight. She was just catching up. Preemies do not always catch up by 2. Kirsten didn't and now she is totally fine as a 11 year old. She's still underweight but is healthy. We try not to make a big deal about her weight. We just gently encourage her to eat healthy without making it a big deal. We don't want to give her a complex. I just want to let you know as long as he is following "his" growth curve, he is fine. just wanted to give you some hope and let you know it;s ok.

[kdreher]

Thanks ladies, I appreciate the support. I honestly try not to fret over Michael having been a preemie - he's happy, healthy, full of life...but you know, sometimes you get bugged. I wonder if I should add in the pediasure or the carnation drink (I like that stuff too).

The pedi did say he really just wants to make sure he's following his growth curve too...he isn't worried just monitoring.

[caryn]

If he's staying on his curve, he's probably just a small kid and will probably just stay that way.

That U-shaped curve for preeclampsia babies, where they're either really big or really small, has 100% held true in my extended family of preeclampsia pregnancies, where we have two boys on the far right upside of the curve, 99%ers, and then we have one girl on the far left upside of the curve, a 1%er. That's just how they've all grown, and they're all healthy.

[jenmatt1]

I think kids just grow at different rates whether preemies or not. My preemie is off the charts in height- at 26 months she is 30 lbs and 38 inches and in size 3T shorts, 4T shirts. She is just tall and skinny. My niece, who was not a preemie (acutally born 2 weeks late) and born 8 months before my daugher her is only at 24 lbs and only 33 inches and wearing size 24 months and 2T.

I think as moms of preemies we tend to worry about anything and everything after what we went through. I would not put my daughter down for the first year because I was so worried about everything. As long as the doctor is watching the growth curve and it seems to be consistent, I think it is more important.