low weight 18 month old How many calories needed to gain weight?

Question

My dd was just in for her 18 month well baby. She was below the 5 percentile. She was teething with a fever the week before and lost a pound or two that week. She weighed 20.2 lbs and is 31 in tall at her well baby checkup. 12 month check up she was 18.6 pounds 5% 28 in tall.....6 months she was 14.8 pounds 9% and 25 in tall. She only needs to gain a pound or two. I have been adding cream to her milk and giving her pp&j. She isn't a big eater. So I need to get the calories and fat in where I can. I am just wondering though how many calories does she need to gain weight and any suggestions on high calorie foods?

The Dr. would like for her to gain some weight.

no to the Juice I cut that off awhile ago because I was having trouble getting her to drink milk because she only wanted juice and she isn't a fan of milk. She loves fruit so she gets fresh fruit daily.

she does like yogurt I give that to her often because she doesn't like milk very much. She doesn't like cheese much either but will eat a bite or two.

Answer 1

I also have a low weight child (he's 3 yo). My mistake was Juicy Juice... does your child drink it? If so, limit her to SIX OUNCES A DAY ONLY! (That's 2/3 of a 9 oz sippy cup) Juicy Juice or other pure juices will make your child not hungry for what she needs, so she won't eat. So limit her juice!! Then what you need to do is find out what calorie dense foods your child likes. Does she like yogurt? Feed her some every chance you get! Cheese, vienna sausages (has more fat than Gerber), hot dogs (cut up), yogurt, eggs, meats, milk (plain or flavored), cottage cheese... things like this. Occasional sweets are good for calories, but you don't want to give her too many empty calories. Also, try Pediasure or Nutripals drinks for a few weeks! If Pediasure is too expensive, buy Carnation instant breakfast and give it to her with her breakfast. It tastes great! Do some research on "calorie dense" foods on the internet. So far we've gained four pounds in the last month or so! Best of luck!

Answer 2

This is not something you should attempt to do without your doctor's involvement. My youngest daughter was a slow weight gainer and dropped significantly in percentile from 12 months to 18 months. Even then, our doctor did not recommend a push on certain foods, but rather suggested I offer her several small healthy, balanced meals throughout the day. She stressed the importance of not making eating an issue as it can easily get out of hand and turn into a full-blown eating disorder. From 18 months until 3 years she had monthly or bi-monthly weight checks. We measured her weight gain in ounces and her height growth in 1/4 inches. She weighed 26 pounds for 9 months when she was 2. Everyone suggested pediasure, but my doctor was adamant against it saying too many kids get "addicted" to the taste and won't eat, just get liquid calories which isn't the desired outcome at all. Unless your doctor specifically said get some weight on her any way you can, I suggest forgetting about the cream in her milk (it isn't healthy) and limit the pb&j (not too healthy either). Instead, focus on lots of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, yogurt, lean meats, and whole milk. Offer her a nice selection 4-6 times a day and let her eat what she wants. Don't plead, beg, or bribe her, just let her choose. She'll eat what she needs and gain the weight when she needs it unless there is a medical condition preventing it. Babies and children will not starve themselves and will eat when and what they are hungry for. A big risk of offering too many high calorie foods is they can be eaten in too large of a quantity (they taste really good) plus after the weight you desire is reached, she'll still want those foods with too many calories than are healthy for her.

Answer 3

I don't remember all the specifics of my son but he will be 2 in December and has just now hit like the 23-25 lb mark. But he's also been on the smaller side for weight, so I wouldn't be concerned unless she's been like up over the 50th percentile and then dropped down to like the 5th my son like I said has always been below the 15th percentile and he is perfectly fine.

Answer 4

If she is otherwise healthy I wouldn't worry too much about it. Doctors can be idiots sometimes when it comes to common sense. Maybe she is just going to be petite. I don't think she is grossly underweight, and besides, I have the opposite and my 18 month old son weighs 35lbs!!! He is a big boy, solid, but not at all chubby or fat. It's their build and doctors need to realize that. Trust me there are so many other things to worry about with a toddler, if she's eating healthy then let it go!