21.1 pounds for 15 month baby, is that normal?

Question

I have a baby boy that weights 21.1 pounds at the age of 15 months. He gets really stubborn to eat in the morning, but at night he only eats half of a Gerber 3 food. Just today I had to wean him from the bottle. He is a little guy, but the doctor says that's normal. But I'm not satisfied. Do other parents out there have kids at this age that weight that much? Thank you

Answer 1

I would encourage you to compare his weight to his length. Then check or ask the doctor to see the growth curve. It's really more important to see that he has a steady growth curve that isn't dropping. If the doctor says it's normal, then he/she is probably looking at your son's growth curve.

What they look for is a pattern. In children there are many normal ranges based on patterns. The curves will show these ranges and as long as your son is above the 5% range and below the 95% range on this curve, he has what is considered appropriate growth.

It's something you can track as well. The CDC would be the ones I would recommend. It's really better to track growth patterns than a particular measurement at one age. It gives you a better idea of overall development than just a "snapshot" of his current size.

Answer 2

Our daughter is 14 1/2 months old and just skimming 19 pounds finally- she was premature, but still - doctor says as long as she is eating well and getting all of her nutrients she is just fine. So I'd listen to your doctor telling you he is normal - because most likely he is. All kids grow at different rates.

All kids can be picky eaters too- try foods that he can pick up. Our daughter never took to stage 3 foods at all and wasn't eating well in that stage, but loves to feed herself and is eating very well now that she has table food!

Also, great advice from our doctor was to not use a bottle/ sippy cup as often any more - and since we have cut back on her milk consumption just a very small bit her appetite has really increased and she is eating better foods! I give her juice or milk half way through her meal instead of at the beginning so she isn;t getting filled up by it and not eating.

Just becuase your child is on the bottom % scale doesnt mean they aren;t ok- your doctor will montitor and let you know if there are concerns. Our doctor looks for weight gain at each visit to make sure we are on track , but isn't concerned as long as we are seeing results.

Hope that helps!

Answer 3

Yes, weight can vary a lot. My son was about that weight at that age. Now, he is 5 years old (almost 6) and is 40 pounds. There was never any issue about his weight, even though I asked if everything was okay. Actually at the age of 15 months to 2 years is a period when children do not eat that much and that is very common.

Answer 4

21 lbs is just barely on the chart.

FINGER FOODS, FINGER FOODS, FINGER FOODS. He should be self feeding and he will likely accept more foods if they have texture and flavour and he has control over them.

Weaning from the bottle is not the solution it will only make the problem worse.

'It's not uncommon for weaning to be recommended for toddlers who are eating few solids. However, this recommendation is not supported by research. According to Sally Kneidel in "Nursing Beyond One Year" (New Beginnings, Vol. 6 No. 4, July-August 1990, pp. 99-103.):
Some doctors may feel that nursing will interfere with a child's appetite for other foods. Yet there has been no documentation that nursing children are more likely than weaned children to refuse supplementary foods. In fact, most researchers in Third World countries, where a malnourished toddler's appetite may be of critical importance, recommend continued nursing for even the severely malnourished (Briend et al, 1988; Rhode, 1988; Shattock and Stephens, 1975; Whitehead, 1985). Most suggest helping the malnourished older nursing child not by weaning but by supplementing the mother's diet to improve the nutritional quality of her milk (Ahn and MacLean. 1980; Jelliffe and Jelliffe, 1978) and by offering the child more varied and more palatable foods to improve his or her appetite (Rohde, 1988; Tangermann, 1988; Underwood, 1985). "
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html

Malnourished children eat less, and taking away his only source of balanced nutrition is going to cause malnutrition.

Answer 5

Well my son is 27 months old, and weighs around 11 kgs (I think around 23 pounds or so). His pediatrician said that he's in around the 3rd percentile, so still in the normal range, but she's monitoring him every 3 months. In his case, I think genetics play a big role, but I do have trouble feeding him meat. I sometimes add protein powder to his milk, the doctor said it's okay to supplement with a bit of protein, as long as it's not too much.

Answer 6

Mostly likely he's just perfect for him. My 21 months old is barely 22 pounds. My eight year old just passed 40 lbs. My kids are just small in nature. My oldest was only 5.8 at birth and a preemie. Now she's 11 years old and 4'11" and eighty pounds. If he's happy, seems to be feeling okay and gives you a hard time about eating, then he's fine.

Answer 7

your baby is fine. its not his weight but the fact of what you feed him. if you are feeding him healthy food. not junk then you have nothing to worry about. if there was something wrong your pediatrician would have said something. my daughters pediatrician said that you cant stop a baby from eating but you can enforce what they eat. as long as hes not gobbling down french fires and burritos all day then hes fine. once you get him off the bottle his weight should stay steady too.

Answer 8

my son is 25 months old and weighs 25 lbs.. he's NORMAL... its not so important what he weighs but rather that he is following the same growth curve.. I'm sure the doctor is tracking that.. that might just be how he is- for now anyway! Was he breastfed? breastfed babies are often thinner too, that's not a bad thing!

Answer 9

Every baby and child is different! My 9 month old little girl is 22lbs as is my neighbors' 23 month old. As long as they are getting the nutrition they need to be healthy then there's nothing to be worried about.

Answer 10

My daughter is 21 months and just hit 21 pounds..I was worried for a minute, but she is on her personal growing curve. She is active and strong..Just small. Her doctor says that she is very healthy.