Pediatrician Keeps Saying Baby Is “ Small”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Based on the stats you gave, it sounds like your baby is doing just fine! He is gaining and following his own growth curve. That is all that matters. He is right on track, for him. Some kids are small, some are big. It doesnt really matter where he falls as long as he is gaining and growing, which he is. And being small now, doesnt mean he will always be small. Dont sweat it.

+1 I had a small baby that consistently stayed on his growth curve of around the tenth percentile. His pediatrician basically chuckled and said that he's probably never going to be a heavyweight. I appreciated the levity he brought to the situation. I breastfed and pumped and we started solids around five months. I wish I could get back the time I worried about it. Honestly, if I had it to do over again, I probably would have added formula in just to give myself a break from pumping at work, but definitely not because I think it would have made a difference in his weight. My son is now in elementary school and in the twentieth percentile range and is a great eater. It's just the size he is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Random thought: if he is STTN maybe you need to wake him for a feed

OP here. He just dropped one of his night feeds. He eats 7, 10, 1, 4, 7, 10, and 3/4am. Some days time shifts because he wakes up between 6:30/7:30am but this is pretty much his schedule. He was walking at 1am but dropped that feed last week and started taking more at the 10pm feed and the 3/4am

Right now he does 7am - 4oz, 10am - 4oz, 1pm - 4oz, 4pm - 4oz, 7pm - 4oz, 10pm - 4-6oz, and 3/4am - 4-6oz.

OP here. I made a typo before. He eats 4oz 5 times a day and then 4-6oz the other two feeds. I’ve tried feeding him more than 32oz or 4oz at a feed and he will refuse it unless bedtime or the 4-5 hour stretch at night. Times vary depending on 6:30/7:30am wakeup and naps but generally eats 4oz every 3 hours which I read is average and normal.

I don’t want to wake him up because he is a good sleeper and I want to follow his cues. He takes a solid 4 naps most days and is doing well at night. Unless we get a second opinion and they’re concerned, I don’t want to wake him and make him eat if he doesn’t want or need it. I’m all about following his natural cues and letting him dictate how much he eats, when he wants to eat, and how much he wants to sleep. He is on a schedule but we don’t force him to eat and I don’t want to get him in the habit of waking up and making him eat if he’s not hungry. I would do it if he wasn’t gaining well but he gained 4lbs in 6 weeks. I feel like he is small but growing at his own pace.

You might pay for waking him by having to sleep train a toddler later. Either get a 2nd opinion somewhere or re-evaluate after the next visit. Sometimes the nurse flubs the weight. My son dropped 10 percentiles then magically regained them a couple months later.

OP here. How do I get a second opinion. Do I just call around to pediatricians and explain what’s going on and if someone else can see us?

The pediatrician we have now is newer and I’m wondering if a more experienced pediatrician will be a better choice for us.

This may be the problem. We had a new pediatrician, and while I respected her expertise, she tended to be very “by the book” and overly cautious. For example, she wanted us to do blood draws on a 1 year old when there were no concerns, and when I let DD watch my phone to distract her from getting a shot, pediatrician gave me a long, long lecture on kids and screens.

We switched to a more experienced doctor and things were so much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like your doctor is advising that you supplement with formula. Not replace breastmilk with formula. If your baby is not getting enough nutrients or milk from your breastmilk, it does not hurt the baby to supplement with formula. He still getting the fatty breastmilk. Maybe he has trouble nursing and you are unaware of it so even though he’s sucking at your breast he’s not getting the full breastmilk that he needs. That happened to one of my friends babies. He was not gaining weight at the correct rate that he should be. And then he actually dropped and was considered to be failure to thrive. She definitely supplemented with formula after that and her baby gained weight. Sucking out of a bottle is easier for the baby then at the breast.

Now that you mention this, I have heard you can have over supply and the baby fills up on the foremilk and doesn't get to the fatty hind milk

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like your baby is small. It is the doctor's job to inform you of this. Please try to accept this information....if your baby is growing, that's all that matters. Sounds like you're doing a great job of keeping the baby on their curve! Try not to take what the doctor is saying personally.

Yep. The doctor is not saying it to hurt your feelings, OP. It is a medical fact

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Random thought: if he is STTN maybe you need to wake him for a feed

OP here. He just dropped one of his night feeds. He eats 7, 10, 1, 4, 7, 10, and 3/4am. Some days time shifts because he wakes up between 6:30/7:30am but this is pretty much his schedule. He was walking at 1am but dropped that feed last week and started taking more at the 10pm feed and the 3/4am

Right now he does 7am - 4oz, 10am - 4oz, 1pm - 4oz, 4pm - 4oz, 7pm - 4oz, 10pm - 4-6oz, and 3/4am - 4-6oz.

OP here. I made a typo before. He eats 4oz 5 times a day and then 4-6oz the other two feeds. I’ve tried feeding him more than 32oz or 4oz at a feed and he will refuse it unless bedtime or the 4-5 hour stretch at night. Times vary depending on 6:30/7:30am wakeup and naps but generally eats 4oz every 3 hours which I read is average and normal.

I don’t want to wake him up because he is a good sleeper and I want to follow his cues. He takes a solid 4 naps most days and is doing well at night. Unless we get a second opinion and they’re concerned, I don’t want to wake him and make him eat if he doesn’t want or need it. I’m all about following his natural cues and letting him dictate how much he eats, when he wants to eat, and how much he wants to sleep. He is on a schedule but we don’t force him to eat and I don’t want to get him in the habit of waking up and making him eat if he’s not hungry. I would do it if he wasn’t gaining well but he gained 4lbs in 6 weeks. I feel like he is small but growing at his own pace.

You might pay for waking him by having to sleep train a toddler later. Either get a 2nd opinion somewhere or re-evaluate after the next visit. Sometimes the nurse flubs the weight. My son dropped 10 percentiles then magically regained them a couple months later.

OP here. How do I get a second opinion. Do I just call around to pediatricians and explain what’s going on and if someone else can see us?

The pediatrician we have now is newer and I’m wondering if a more experienced pediatrician will be a better choice for us.

This may be the problem. We had a new pediatrician, and while I respected her expertise, she tended to be very “by the book” and overly cautious. For example, she wanted us to do blood draws on a 1 year old when there were no concerns, and when I let DD watch my phone to distract her from getting a shot, pediatrician gave me a long, long lecture on kids and screens.

We switched to a more experienced doctor and things were so much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Random thought: if he is STTN maybe you need to wake him for a feed

OP here. He just dropped one of his night feeds. He eats 7, 10, 1, 4, 7, 10, and 3/4am. Some days time shifts because he wakes up between 6:30/7:30am but this is pretty much his schedule. He was walking at 1am but dropped that feed last week and started taking more at the 10pm feed and the 3/4am

Right now he does 7am - 4oz, 10am - 4oz, 1pm - 4oz, 4pm - 4oz, 7pm - 4oz, 10pm - 4-6oz, and 3/4am - 4-6oz.

OP here. I made a typo before. He eats 4oz 5 times a day and then 4-6oz the other two feeds. I’ve tried feeding him more than 32oz or 4oz at a feed and he will refuse it unless bedtime or the 4-5 hour stretch at night. Times vary depending on 6:30/7:30am wakeup and naps but generally eats 4oz every 3 hours which I read is average and normal.

I don’t want to wake him up because he is a good sleeper and I want to follow his cues. He takes a solid 4 naps most days and is doing well at night. Unless we get a second opinion and they’re concerned, I don’t want to wake him and make him eat if he doesn’t want or need it. I’m all about following his natural cues and letting him dictate how much he eats, when he wants to eat, and how much he wants to sleep. He is on a schedule but we don’t force him to eat and I don’t want to get him in the habit of waking up and making him eat if he’s not hungry. I would do it if he wasn’t gaining well but he gained 4lbs in 6 weeks. I feel like he is small but growing at his own pace.

You might pay for waking him by having to sleep train a toddler later. Either get a 2nd opinion somewhere or re-evaluate after the next visit. Sometimes the nurse flubs the weight. My son dropped 10 percentiles then magically regained them a couple months later.

OP here. How do I get a second opinion. Do I just call around to pediatricians and explain what’s going on and if someone else can see us?

The pediatrician we have now is newer and I’m wondering if a more experienced pediatrician will be a better choice for us.

This may be the problem. We had a new pediatrician, and while I respected her expertise, she tended to be very “by the book” and overly cautious. For example, she wanted us to do blood draws on a 1 year old when there were no concerns, and when I let DD watch my phone to distract her from getting a shot, pediatrician gave me a long, long lecture on kids and screens.

We switched to a more experienced doctor and things were so much better.

Lol the nurses at my kid's peds office always tell me to play something on my phone for her so she will sit still for the hearing test.

[Anonymous]

Your pediatrician is an idiot and should be sued. Babies gain in average 4-7oz per week and yours has gained more than that. He only dropped a few percentiles. Not like he went from 90th to 10th. Your breastmilk is the best thing for him. Fire them or tell them to STFU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like your baby is small. It is the doctor's job to inform you of this. Please try to accept this information....if your baby is growing, that's all that matters. Sounds like you're doing a great job of keeping the baby on their curve! Try not to take what the doctor is saying personally.

Yep. The doctor is not saying it to hurt your feelings, OP. It is a medical fact

Saying the baby is small is fine. Driving the OP crazy by making her EP, switch to formula, obsesses over high-calorie formula when she had a perfectly happy breastfeeding relationship is near criminal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like your baby is small. It is the doctor's job to inform you of this. Please try to accept this information....if your baby is growing, that's all that matters. Sounds like you're doing a great job of keeping the baby on their curve! Try not to take what the doctor is saying personally.

Yep. The doctor is not saying it to hurt your feelings, OP. It is a medical fact

Saying the baby is small is fine. Driving the OP crazy by making her EP, switch to formula, obsesses over high-calorie formula when she had a perfectly happy breastfeeding relationship is near criminal.

Agreed. OP, it sounds like you're doing great and he is growing nicely!

[Anonymous]

I just got back from my 2 month appointment for my son today. Born on 12/9. His weight today was 10lbs 8 oz and height 22inches. So technically even smaller than your baby. My pediatrician didnt say anything about his size at all. She went on and on about how great he looked and how good he was doing. Dont change a thing she said.

I think your doctor is causing you unnecessary stress and worry!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like your doctor is advising that you supplement with formula. Not replace breastmilk with formula. If your baby is not getting enough nutrients or milk from your breastmilk, it does not hurt the baby to supplement with formula. He still getting the fatty breastmilk. Maybe he has trouble nursing and you are unaware of it so even though he’s sucking at your breast he’s not getting the full breastmilk that he needs. That happened to one of my friends babies. He was not gaining weight at the correct rate that he should be. And then he actually dropped and was considered to be failure to thrive. She definitely supplemented with formula after that and her baby gained weight. Sucking out of a bottle is easier for the baby then at the breast.

OP here. I don’t think you read everything on this thread because I’ve stated multiple times I went from exclusively nursing for the first month ( where he did gain weight) to exclusively pumping. He nursed fine and went from 6lbs 7oz, regained his birth weight of 6lbs 14oz, and then was 8lbs 10oz at 1 month. He gained almost 2lbs while exclusively nursing in the first month after gaining his birth weight.

The pediatrician at 1 month said he was small and was worried when he went from the 32nd to the 25th and ordered me to start supplementing with formula. I started pumping because I was worried he wasn’t getting enough and I wanted to know how much he ate each each day. I started feeding him pumping milk and supplemented two feeds with formula. He went from 8lbs 10oz to 10lbs 12oz in 1 month. The pediatrician still said he was small and to cut back from the 24 ounces of breast milk and give him 16-20 ounces of breast milk and increase the formula from 8oz to 12-16 ounces. She also said I can switch to a high calorie formula.

He has been bottle fed the last month and has continued to gain weight just like he did when we exclusively nursed. The pediatrician did say to cut his breast milk intake and feed him more formula.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like your baby is small. It is the doctor's job to inform you of this. Please try to accept this information....if your baby is growing, that's all that matters. Sounds like you're doing a great job of keeping the baby on their curve! Try not to take what the doctor is saying personally.

Yep. The doctor is not saying it to hurt your feelings, OP. It is a medical fact

OP here. I’m aware of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Random thought: if he is STTN maybe you need to wake him for a feed

OP here. He just dropped one of his night feeds. He eats 7, 10, 1, 4, 7, 10, and 3/4am. Some days time shifts because he wakes up between 6:30/7:30am but this is pretty much his schedule. He was walking at 1am but dropped that feed last week and started taking more at the 10pm feed and the 3/4am

Right now he does 7am - 4oz, 10am - 4oz, 1pm - 4oz, 4pm - 4oz, 7pm - 4oz, 10pm - 4-6oz, and 3/4am - 4-6oz.

OP here. I made a typo before. He eats 4oz 5 times a day and then 4-6oz the other two feeds. I’ve tried feeding him more than 32oz or 4oz at a feed and he will refuse it unless bedtime or the 4-5 hour stretch at night. Times vary depending on 6:30/7:30am wakeup and naps but generally eats 4oz every 3 hours which I read is average and normal.

I don’t want to wake him up because he is a good sleeper and I want to follow his cues. He takes a solid 4 naps most days and is doing well at night. Unless we get a second opinion and they’re concerned, I don’t want to wake him and make him eat if he doesn’t want or need it. I’m all about following his natural cues and letting him dictate how much he eats, when he wants to eat, and how much he wants to sleep. He is on a schedule but we don’t force him to eat and I don’t want to get him in the habit of waking up and making him eat if he’s not hungry. I would do it if he wasn’t gaining well but he gained 4lbs in 6 weeks. I feel like he is small but growing at his own pace.

You might pay for waking him by having to sleep train a toddler later. Either get a 2nd opinion somewhere or re-evaluate after the next visit. Sometimes the nurse flubs the weight. My son dropped 10 percentiles then magically regained them a couple months later.

OP here. How do I get a second opinion. Do I just call around to pediatricians and explain what’s going on and if someone else can see us?

The pediatrician we have now is newer and I’m wondering if a more experienced pediatrician will be a better choice for us.

This may be the problem. We had a new pediatrician, and while I respected her expertise, she tended to be very “by the book” and overly cautious. For example, she wanted us to do blood draws on a 1 year old when there were no concerns, and when I let DD watch my phone to distract her from getting a shot, pediatrician gave me a long, long lecture on kids and screens.

We switched to a more experienced doctor and things were so much better.

OP here. We did some research last night and my husband found a doctor in our network that is very experienced. The current pediatrician has only been practicing for 3 years. We picked it because it’s within blocks from us. We have an appointment tomorrow with the pediatrician. She has over 20 years experience so I’m hoping we can get a second opinion.

I’m not open to changing if it’s in the best interest of my child. I will reduce breastmilk intake and add more formula, switch to a higher calorie formula, or even switch to formula completely if there is a problem. I just don’t want to do that until I get a second opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your pediatrician is an idiot and should be sued. Babies gain in average 4-7oz per week and yours has gained more than that. He only dropped a few percentiles. Not like he went from 90th to 10th. Your breastmilk is the best thing for him. Fire them or tell them to STFU.

+1. Your baby went from 6lbs 7oz, regained his birthweight of 6lbs 14oz, and was 10lbs 12oz at 8 week appointment. He has gained 4lbs in 2 months which is completely normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just got back from my 2 month appointment for my son today. Born on 12/9. His weight today was 10lbs 8 oz and height 22inches. So technically even smaller than your baby. My pediatrician didnt say anything about his size at all. She went on and on about how great he looked and how good he was doing. Dont change a thing she said.

I think your doctor is causing you unnecessary stress and worry!

OP here. Can I ask his birth weight? Is he breastfed or formula fed?