Worrying about tiny baby

marionravenwood

My LO is three weeks old tomorrow and I'm still fretting over her weight.  I was 40 weeks and 4 days when she was born and she was only 5 lbs 14 oz.  We took hhertz her pedi appointment this week and she was up to 6 lbs 9 oz, but she's still only 25th percentile for weight and 10th for length (19 inches).

 I keep worrying I did something wrong during my pregnancy that stunted her growth.   I had severe anxiety attacks during almost my entire second trimester and I worry that was responsible.

Anyone else have tiny babies either this time or in previos pregnancies?  Did the LOs end up being healthy?  

Kristie330

My lo was born at 39 weeks 6 lbs 6 oz. it took her three weeks to regain her birth weight and she is still in the 3rd percentile my pedi wad not concerned as she continues to gain and is developing well. My pedi in fact said someone has to be in the 3rd percentile! I would not worry about it. Some people are small and others are large!

abp51008

Please don't worry! You did nothing wrong. Some babies are small. They can't all be big right? DS1 was average size at birth but ever since his 2 month check he's been in the 10th percentile for weight and height. I used to stress about it too but really there's nothing wrong with being a little small as long as they are gaining at a consistent rate and the doctors aren't worried.

holly321

My dd was 5 lb 15 oz. I struggled for a very long time worrying about her size. When I woke from the anesthesia, first thing my nurse said to me was that there was an argument in the or whether or not she was premature.

I made an appointment with my ob, concerning my ppd and some other issues, and I asked him what I did wrong. He went on and on about how some babies were just smaller, it wasn't anything I did. He was rather pissed the nurse said what she did. He was very reassuring that she was very healthy, just small.

She stays between 1025th weight percentile. I freaked out when she dropped from 25th down to 10th... but her pediatrician said there was no needfor concern, she is healthy and active. She will be two in about a week and a half and still wears some 12 month clothes

Try not to worry. As long as she is gaining and eating, there is no need for concern.

JohnaDouglas

When I was born I was 5lbs 6oz, I was always in the lower percintiles. My mother was afraid I was going to be stunted, but I ended up being 5'4 which is right between my mother and father.

IncogNeato

see my siggy! Both my girls are healthy, just little!

tamarar5

I have a friend who had a totally normal pregnancy and her dd was born at only 5 lb 1oz. Today her dd is two yrs old and not even ON the growth charts. She is 21lbs and tiny, but her growth and development are following her own normal curve. Don't stress! If her Dr isn't worried, then neither should you Mama!

pitterpatter129

As long as your baby is continuing to grow on his/her growth curve, then she's doing awesome!  From your post, I'm wondering if you completely understand the growth chart/percentiles.  Forgive me if you do, but maybe this will help someone else.  The growth chart is a bell curve based on all the sizes of all the kids in the world.  50% is the middle size, the average size of a kid for that age.  Some kids will be smaller than the average and some will be bigger.  Smaller kids fall in the 0-49% range and bigger kids fall in the 51-100% range.  It's not like a test where 100% is the "best" or the score you are trying for.  The goal is for your child to stay in their range.  My kiddo #1 (and #2 actually) is in the 14th percentile for growth and weight.  That means that he's pretty tiny for his age.  However, he's always been in the 14th percentile, so he's growing fine.  He's just tiny.  If he was in the 14th at one appointment and then suddenly in the 2nd percentile at the next appointment that would equal an issue, because he wasn't growing.  If he went from the 14th to the 90th, well that would be an issue too, because obviously he got really tall or really fat all the sudden, which isn't good.  The goal is to the stay on the same growth curve. 

bergerbride

I had two full term tiny babies! My son wasn't even 5 pounds by the time we left the hospital... He's now 4 and right up there in height and weight.  You would never know how teeny he was and there are no health/developmental issues that we have come across.  I just had a little girl... Scheduled c section at 39 weeks... And she was 6lbs 5 oz when born (5lbs14oz by the time we left the hospital). Doc says I just make little babies, but as long as they are healthy that is all that matters!!  

tashpede

My DD was 7lb 10oz at birth and when we left (three days later) she was at 6lb 15oz. As of Monday (her one month appt) she was only up to 7lb 15oz and in the 15th percentile. She does have some reflux issues and couldn't tolerate breast milk. We have done a run through on formulas as well. We just started Enfamil AR today and seems to be keeping it down better. Her pedi didn't seem terribly concerned about her weight gain. He wants to see her gain more than she has been, but he wasn't worried about it either... so I think you should be fine!

ally2011

Just like adults, babies come in all shapes and sizes.  I would not worry about this at all and just enjoy your baby.  

Hugs,

Jenn 

ericalee27

DS1 was born at 35w, 4d and was 5 lbs, 2 oz at birth.  he barely registered on the weight charts for the first few months -- like 1%, 3%, etc. for percentiles.  But he was perfectly healthy then and is perfectly healthy now.  No worries.

kelly321

DD1 was a preemie and even though she has always been in the 1-3 percentile, she's a perfectly healthy and happy almost 2 year old. As others have said - the important thing is that they grow parallel to the growth curve, not that they're a specific percentile. The goal is not to be in the 99th percentile, it's to have a baby that's growing at a normal and healthy rate.

marionravenwood

Thanks ladies!  No I actually didn't understand the growth percentiles so thanks for explaining.  She is a healthy baby and I try to make her happy so I'm just going to focus on that!

kbates85

I totally understand where your coming from. I'm a FTM too and my baby boy was 5 lbs 13 oz. 19 in at birth. I fretted soo much and felt (and still sometimes feel) guilty abut him be so tiny. I had a great healthy pregnancy and he was only 3 days early so I'm not sure why he was so tiny. It sounds like you LO is gaining really well! Heres some info from Dr. Sears website:

 

Weight gain of 4-7 ounces (112-200 grams) a week during the first monthAn average of 1-2 pounds (1/2 to 1 kilogram) per month for the first six monthsAn average of one pound (1/2 kilogram) per month from six months to one yearBabies usually grow in length by about an inch a month (2.5c.m.) during the first six months, and around one-half inch a month from six months to one year.

carriesu2003

my daughter was born at 38 weeks and was 6lbs 3 ounces at birth than dropped down to 5lbs 8ounces in two days.  Had to be hospitalized for Jaundice because she wasn't getting any milk from me.  She is now 3 weeks old and weighs 6lbs 14 ounces.  The funny thing is my husband is huge and I am 5 foot 9 so we were not expecting a tiny baby.  I too worried I over did it during my pregnancy but the doctors assured me some babies are just tiny.

NG2HD

Both my children have been small and my BFF and his wife had a child smaller than yours at 39 weeks.  As long as your baby continues to gain weight, I'm sure she's fine.  Don't blame yourself - you delivered a healthy baby.  Who cares if she was a little small?  Some babies are just smaller...

JuliaBug

When I was born, I was only 5 days early and weighed exactly as much as your DD. I have been petite my whole life, but am perfectly healthy. 

My DS developed a milk & soy protein sensitivity when he was a baby and he hardly grew for a couple months. He's average height now, but still very low in the weight percentile (like 5-10% I think) but he is also perfectly healthy and has never been behind developmentally. 

25% isn't bad. As long as she is having plenty of wet & dirty diapers and continues to grow, I wouldn't worry.