MagicMum.com

Hi,

This is the first time I have posted on this site. It is great! My wee boy, Cian, was 4 weeks early but also IUGR so he was only 2.08kg (4lbs9). He is now one year old and is still only just 16lbs. He is off the botom of the growth chart and I am finding this really stressful, even though my health nurse assures me he is fine and just little. I am going to a paediatrician in a week and hopefully all will be well. He is so happy and active and very healthy looking. I guess I am just writing because all my other friends who are mums have these cherubic little babies with podgy little legs and arms and I am hoping there is someone else out there in the same situation as I am feeling a little alone! [/img]

Irish Kiwi,

I can empathise completely. My little preemie will be 5 in two weeks time. She was born at 35 weeks but also had IUGR she was 1.26kg (2lb 13oz) at birth.

We were initially told by all the health professionals that she should catch up by the time she was about 3. She is nearly 5 and although she is small to normal height wise (105cm) she only weighs 13.5kg (My 19 month old weighs 13kg!). She is part of a follow up study on low birthweight babies and they are now finding that it takes them much longer to reach a normal weight.

She has always been off the bottom of the weight charts but is very healthy, she eats really well but is like a whippet, just wiry!

Like you we were concerned for a long time but we now realise that so long as she is healthy she is fine, and who nows in 15 years time maybe she will be a supermodel and make millions unfortunately I think her genes will catch up

One good thing I have now discovered about tiny babies is that they are great for carrying. Until I had our second dd I couldn't understand new motheres complaining about back ache or arm ache carrying their babies, our second has chubby arms and legs as you described and don't my muscles know about it

Hope this has helped, I know sometimes it can feel like you are the only one in the situation.

Sara

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DD1 July 2000
DD2 Nov 2003
DD3 Jan 2006

Hi

My DS is 9 months, was 7lb 10 oz at birth and was 11 days overdue. He is in the bottom percentile for weight even though his length is around the middle - he was around the 30th percentile for weight until he was 6 months but since then he has become so active that he has put on very little weight. He is a very happy child and is walking around his playpen like hes in a race aswell as been very clued in so I'm not worried. My mam thinks he looks like he's about 5 months old. It can take preemie's 2 years to catch up with full term babies so don't worry too much. 16 lbs is 4 times his birth weight which is brilliant. My DS is less than 2 1/2 times his at the moment and will probably only be around 2-12 times his by his first birthyday - Babies come in all shapes and sizes, they don't have to be pudgy. Your little boy sounds like he's is fine.

Hopefully your visit to the doctor will have put your mind at ease.

Jeannine

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Thanks for all your replies. And Jeanine it is the first time someone has mentioned the fact that if your child is active he might not gain as much. It certainly sounds right - Cian never stops moving! Anyway, I have the paediatrician appointment today, which I am dreading, but hopefully it will asuage (sp?) all my fears and I'll never worry again! (yeah right!!)