I'll just get right to it- He weighed 18.7 at 9 months old and he is now 11 months and weighs the same. Is this normal? I mean, for a baby with Down syndrome? He was really packing it on for a while and I thought surely he'd be over 20 pounds by his birthday but don't think that's going to happen.
Bennett takes 3, 8 ounce bottles and solids with each meal. No table foods yet~sigh~ but honestly I haven't pushed it because he just has no interest in feeding himself so I give up rather quickly. Plus, with 2 other kids, we're always on the go-there's not a lot of time to mess around with food and not eating it! I did that with Ainsley and I just can't fight that battle again. I do need to offer it more though and just see if he'll eventually try it. He now has 4 teeth almost all the way in so maybe he hasn't been eating as much do to that, I don't know though, seems like he finishes his bottles. And we all know he's not walking or crawling for that matter, so I really don't think he's burning more calories.
What do you think? We go in next week for a check up (he has bronchitis and is on antibiotics and neb treatments) so I'll ask the ped what she thinks. I'm not overly concerned just kinda bummed because I thought he was doing well with his weight. Maybe he's just going to be smaller than I thought.
he is PERFECT!! he sounds like he is doing awesome eating!! and 4 teeth! WOW...I bet with the sick and all his body is going through fighting the sick (w/meds) and teething...he will bounce back and gain soon...http://www.medcalc.com/growth/...this is a site that I got from Pudge n Zippy blog...it is great...we were able to input Maddie numbers and see that she is "normal" for a child with Down Syndrome...best to you and Bennett..smiles
ReplyDeleteLily will be two the end of May and I don't think she'll hit 20 pounds at her well-baby check. She was 18.3 lbs. at 18 months. That's not much of a gain at all. I used to worry about it, but for some of our kiddos, it seems to be typical. I worry MUCH more about the fact that her diet may not contain all the necessary nutrients. I started her on Pediasure about a month ago since it's complete nutrition. Oh, and BTW, when I talked to Lily's pedi about it, he said he wasn't concerned because she is healthy and doesn't look malnourished (I think that was his way of saying that her thighs got some chunk goin' on...lol). Definitely talk to your doctor. He/She may recommend going to a nutritionist.
ReplyDeleteAnd on another note...where did that year go?! I can't believe your little man is almost a year old already!!!
I think it's totally normal and he's heading into the age where the weight won't be packing on as much. The good things is that he is not losing weight and the fact that he kept the same weight and potential grew in length is again another good sign. No worries mama! He sounds just right! 20 pounds at one year?!?! That's a BIG baby DS or no DS...:)!
ReplyDeleteJimmy (DS) is nearly two and still doesn't weigh 20 pounds and on the same note my daughter was in the 90% for weight till she was 6 months old and then stopped gaining weight for nearly 6 months. From then on she has been in the 10% for weight (and she is now 4 and still in the 10% for weight). I think a drop off or a dramatic weight gain stop is completely normal. They start to regulate at some point.
ReplyDeleteChase has gone through the same thing and has actually dropped half a pound. We're chalking it up partly to his reflux (lots of spitup). The doctors weren't really concerned about the weight loss as he's not having any serious symptoms and his blood tests are ok. Bennett and Chase seem to be eating exactly the same amounts. And Bennett sure is as cute as ever!
ReplyDeleteMy "mental goal" for Reid at the one year mark was to be at 20 lbs as well and he was actually exactly right where Bennett is at 11 months, seriously I think right down to the ounce. ....now 2 years later he has gained a whole whopping 10 lbs and is 28lbs. I would not be concerned unless you see Bennett sweating while eating which would indicate he is burning up a lot of calories just to eat (but now that his little heart is fixed this shouldn't occur). Plus.....he looks perfectly plump and healthy and adorable! ;)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I ever commented on his picture above when you first posted it a few months back but when my Luke saw it it produced this, "aghhhhh, how cute, he's Irish right mom??" ;)
Probably those Donovan genes......we don't get big until we are 40....then watch out! ;o)
ReplyDelete18.7 is huge for a DS kido at 9 months. He looks great, maybe he's starting to even out a little. I wouldn't be concerned, he's not going to weigh the same as your "typical" kids!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Max is 20 pounds and 30.5 inches...
ReplyDeleteWe just went for Max's year check (at 13 months). He weighs .01 pound LESS than he did back in October! But he has grown almost 2 inches. I think he's just more active so he's burning more calories and losing the baby chubbiness. Our pediatrician didn't even bat an eye at it. I'm sure Bennett's in that same boat :)
ReplyDeleteAll great comments... he's probably doing fine, weight wise. Have you checked the Ds growth chart? We learned that it's important to chart on the Ds chart even if they're big enough to be on the typical chart, b/c their growth patterns are different. John Michael stopped growing for about 3 months, too, from 12 to 15 months, although we did think it was from crawling (which he started right after he turned 1). Kids w/ Ds aren't going to ask for food at this age, so it's important to take the time to sit and feed him so he gets the hang of it. John Michael still doesn't ask for food (at 29 months), even if I know he's hungry. That's one of those things we have to be consistent with. If the doc isn't worried, then I wouldn't be either. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm not much help (growth is NOT Piper's strong suit), but two things came to mind. The first is that they say that kids with Ds don't follow the curve as well as their typical peers do. They have more intermittant growth patterns where they grow well for a little bit, and then peter out a little while later. Could be he's just in a peter-out stage, or he's getting ready for a grow-a-whole-lot-and-then-curse-the-outgrown-clothes stage. The second thing I thought I'd mention is that in Colorado, anyway, nutritional support is included in our Early Intervention. Piper has hardly grown since February, so we're having the nutritionist come to see us soon. I'm HOPING that they'll do it before Piper's 12 month check-up, so that I can have a retort when they start the lecture regarding my 12 1/2 pound one year old... We'll see, lol. I'd bring it up with the doc, certainly, but may be worth seeing the nutritionist if you're worried, or if he keeps going. He looks fabulous, and he's developing in other ways (about the only reason they "allow" Piper to be as small as she is- if she were under-nourished, she shouldn't be developing as well), so I wouldn't be too upset just yet. Keep an eye on it, for sure, but I bet he's just holding all of it in until he's ready to spring it on you all at once! :)
ReplyDeleteMy son finally got the pincher grasp at 11 months and can now feed himself-although alot of food still falls and he gets pretty messy! I had quit trying and then one day poured some puffs on his tray and he could get them to his mouth. Even if you don't feed Bennett all table food, it would be good for him to have something like puffs or cheerios on his tray or let him play with a spoon. My little Owen is still 17lbs and will be 1 on Sunday! My 2 year old girl is falling off the growth chart on weight so I guess I may not ever have big kids. :)
ReplyDeleteEven though he may not be crawling-Owen isn't either-he may still be active enough to burn a few calories. Also, when he does start table food he may not gain alot because usually kids won't eat enough to get the same amount of nutriton from baby food. I think Bennett looks perfectly healthy and is as cute as can be!
If it helps my 10 month old bot (no DS) only gained about a lb between 6 & 9 months and is only 16lbs 6oz - there is virtually no chance he will be 20 lbs at 1 year and neither was his older brother (also no DS). They all grow at their own pace - ds or no ds. Our pediatrician saya he is never concerned unless the child appears to be sickly!! I am sure Bennett is just perfect!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't worry at all. Sam is only 17lbs 13ounces and he is 21 months. He was stuck at 16lbs for about 5 months. It drove me crazy but he just wasn't gaining. He finally is over 17lbs and he was eating table food. I would just put the taste of table food on his tongue so he gets different tastes but see what your pediatrician says about it. Sam eats table food but is very picky and still loves his rice cereal.
ReplyDeletePlease don't worry; it's really a waste of energy. All kids will go through growth spurts and plateaus. Our Little J plateaued at about 10.5 pounds, gained a little and weighed in at only 11.5 pounds at one. Then all of a sudden he put on 2.75 pounds in one month, plateaued and then put on another 2 pounds and continued to gain. Now at 20 months he's 22.75 pounds and making a nice growth curve for himself.
ReplyDeleteSpurts and Plateaus!
Rachel took forever to reach 20 pounds! I think she was over two. She is now six and has weighed right around the 30 pound mark for the past couple of years. Bennett looks great! Don't worry about the weight.
ReplyDeleteNot to worry... he's growing at his own pace as he will do everything in life... at his own pace. Let the Pedi ensure there's nothing "wrong" and then just go with it. My guys just turned 5 and at last weigh-in were 52 and 50 lbs each at 43" tall. Some kids are smaller than others, some bigger.
ReplyDeleteNo worries my friend! He's just perfect! Justin just turned 2 today and he just tipped the scales at a whopping 21 pounds! He hovered around 19 pounds for several months.
ReplyDeleteI am sure he is doing great. Wysdom is a chunky guy but he is tube fed. However he has been the same for several months. I think it also depends on how active he is. He is probably moving around a lot more and burning calories. You could always look at adding some higher fat foods like avocado. I think he is at a good weight though to be honest. Wysdom is 16months and is 21 pounds. So that seems about right for 11 months.
ReplyDeleteI would not worry. Every kids' weight is bound to fluctuate. Jack weighed 21 lbs at 12 months old, but every kid is different. When Bennett does start getting mobile, he will likely not gain weight for awhile.
ReplyDeleteColin only weighed 17 lbs 12 ounces at his year check up last week. He falls in the 5th percentile for his weight on the "typical" charts but in the 50th percentile on the DS charts (even though I don't pay much attention to either). As long as they LOOK health and are eating that's all that matters...and that's also what my pediatrician reiterated to me. Don't worry...he looks healthy and happy and that's all that matters :)
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