Tiny Babies

sardavbak

My daughter was born at 7lbs7oz, but was super slow to get back to birth weight after the hospital (almost a month). She is now 16 weeks and just short of 12lbs. Our pediatrician has said as long as she doesn't drop percentiles he isn't concerned about her weight (17th percentile) but I have been concerned about it mainly because of all the comments I get! Everyone who meets her exclaims "oh she's so tiny!" Which is then followed up by comments about whether she is eating enough, etc. Other moms even frequently comment on how large their LOs were at the same age, compared to her. My Q is: does anyone have a diplomatic way to basically say "STFU about how small she is"?? It honestly makes me feel like I'm somehow failing her (BF with 1-2 bottles of supplementation formula per day). Help me find a way to cut the conversation off before it starts! Thanks! 

taysun

DD is 16 weeks and I don't really know how much she weighs but she's small. Someone thought she was only a month old and kept exclaiming about how alert she is until I corrected her. We don't supplement either unless she's being watched and I haven't left enough milk. 
Honestly some babies are just small. But I think the best way to respond is to something in regards to how well your pedi thinks she's doing. Or when they start to comment you can cut them off with something like how much she's grown and that you were just at the pediatrician and they cant believe how much she's grown. 
Basically just mention your pedi being happy with her size. 

Knottie65841689

I am straight with people. Just let them know she is not tiny, she is growing at her own pace and ped is happy with it. 

Sometimes people ignore the obvious. If parents are tall or short, their babies will probably resemble them. My husband and I are tall and our LO is tall at 98% for her age. People keep assuming she is older than she is, or forgeting she cant quite hold her hesd by herself all the way yet.

All I can do is be like. She is not big, she is just like her parents, she is just as she should be

suchaglencoco

Our twins were one month early, so when people ask their age we almost always get a comment on their size. I respond with "they seem small to you, but to us they're big, thriving and most importantly, healthy." That normally shuts them up. 
You're not failing your daughter. The ped said she's perfectly fine, that's all that matters.

 No matter what her size was, people would find something to comment on. If she were a couple lbs more, they'd comment on how chunky she looked. People really have no filter when it comes to talk about babies and kids. They think if they themselves have had children, that they are experts and can determine if your child is unhealthy or not.

mltarrio

I have the opposite and it is absolutely true that no matter what people will find something to say. It's like how when you are pregnant your bump is too big or too small according to everyone. My girl is giant, was born over 10 pounds, and people expect her to be able to do things above her maturity and age because she looks older. I also get a lot of "what are you feeding her?!"

People will always find something to comment about. Just know that you are doing a great job and she is growing and healthy. That is all that matters. 

Mizuiro007

For a long time DS was half a percentile after starting around 78th percentile. He was obviously skinny and we got the comments. His weight was a concern but the doctor was happy and I'd tell people as much. Most people aren't going to argue with what the doctor says.

We get the reverse with DD. She isn't huge for her age but she looks like a big baby and acts like an older baby. Or it drives me nuts how much people say we got our mini me's, that DS is just like his dad (actually only his coloring is more like his than mine) and DD looks just like me (we have the same hair color). Babies are individuals. I wish people could accept that and move on.

MomofEv+1

My 16 week old is 10 lbs 14 oz and is in the 5th percentile. She was small at birth too at 5 lbs 3 oz. We haven't supplemented since 6 weeks and she's been sleeping through the night since 12. Her pediatrician isn't concerned. 

People constantly comment on how small she is. In fact,  we were out to dinner a few weeks ago and a waitress came to take a look at her and said an old lady at the bar thought she wasn't real haha!

celainev

Just tell them she's perfect. That's what I do when people comment on how big Carlos is (he's 60 percentile so he's definitely not as "huge" as they say.) He's his perfect weight and super healthy! 

RSB1982

sardavbak said:

My daughter was born at 7lbs7oz, but was super slow to get back to birth weight after the hospital (almost a month). She is now 16 weeks and just short of 12lbs. Our pediatrician has said as long as she doesn't drop percentiles he isn't concerned about her weight (17th percentile) but I have been concerned about it mainly because of all the comments I get! Everyone who meets her exclaims "oh she's so tiny!" Which is then followed up by comments about whether she is eating enough, etc. Other moms even frequently comment on how large their LOs were at the same age, compared to her. My Q is: does anyone have a diplomatic way to basically say "STFU about how small she is"?? It honestly makes me feel like I'm somehow failing her (BF with 1-2 bottles of supplementation formula per day). Help me find a way to cut the conversation off before it starts! Thanks! 

Man can I relate to this.  At our 2 month appointment my DD was in the 5th percentile at 9 lbs 4 oz.  She is 13 weeks now and somewhere between 10 and 11 lbs.  I try not to weigh her at home because it stresses me out.  I am also super sensitive when people comment on her size.

My DD was also 7 lbs and 7 oz at birth and feeding her has always been a struggle.  She ended up in the special care nursery for several days after a bit of a dramatic birth and did not breastfeed well.  We supplemented early on and just when I thought we were doing well and gaining we were set back with milk protein sensitivity.  She didn't like Neutrameigen at all and it was all I could do to get her to drink it.  We have her back on regular formula now but she's still gaining at a slow pace.  When people comment on her size I really just want to give them an ear full.  Instead I usually just say she's small for her age and point out that its probably genetics.  I'm small myself ( 5'1" and 104 lbs pre pregnancy) so it makes sense I would have a small baby.  

beccabeeee

I wouldn't stress too much unless the doctor is concerned with her weight. My DD was 6lbs 9 ounces at birth and dropped a significant amount afterwards, she came back up and then stopped gaining weight, she just turned 3 months and is still at 10lbs. The doctor was concerned that she wasn't gaining enough but we're finally going up. She's in the 3rd percentile but on her growth chart she's still moving up, just slower than she would like. But, up is still good. Everyone always comments saying how tiny she is and think she's a newborn, but when I tell them she's 3 months they act so surprised. I have to remind them that I'm small myself and there's only so much room she can grow inside me lol not to mention that she may be on a lower end of the scale for weight but she makes up for it in length, she's long! 

candace4erich

I think "STFU!" is a perfectly reasonable response! :P 

Our girls are just now over 9lbs after being born at 32w around 3lbs each. We keep hearing "Oh, what are they, six weeks?" Nope. Three months. "They're so small." Yeah. What's it to you, buddy? I'm actually prepared for this anyway because I was a very small baby and didn't really grow at all from ages 2 to 4.

I would just tell people that she's an extra tiny bundle of healthy joy. I might paraphrase some Shakespeare at them (Though she be small, she is mighty!). And remember that their opinions just don't matter. You're a rocking mama!

Catherine1021

DD was 7lbs 9oz when she was born, lost of lot of weight in the beginning, and has been steadily following the 10th percentile growth curve ever since then. She is now almost 16 weeks and probably weighs around 11 1/2 pounds. 

"She's so tiny!" is the number one comment I hear from people. I usually just say that yes, she is on the smaller side for her age, but her doctor is happy with her growth and I feel lucky that I get to snuggle a tiny baby for a little longer than most.

relizabethp

My DD was 6 ilbs 12 oz at birth and has been hanging around in the 8th percentile .  My husband and I just acknowledge up front that she is a tiny baby and that is just her body type, it's almost away for us to shut down the comments before they are made.  She is very interactive and aware so she is clearly healthy and most people are more into playing with her. I would just ignore any of the nay sayers your baby is healthy and beautiful and if they can't see that then they can just sit on their sanctimommy throne judging as you walk away. 

BrookeBrown2015

My son was 7lbs 5 oz at birth (12/7) and was 11 lbs 13 oz at his last Dr appointment. I have had several people comment on how small he is and I really didn't think much of it. I just thought they must not have seen very many young babies lately and I said that or 3 months when they asked how old and yep. I think yep should be sufficient.

JulieK79

At 17 weeks last week, my daughter weighed 12 pounds 6 ounces. Our doctor said the same thing - she's on the smaller side but she's been making a consistent amount of growth between each doctors appointment so he's not concerned at all. And just like yours - as long as she doesn't drop in percentiles, she's fine.

blended10

My dd is tall for her age & we get comments, too. "Oh my - she's so...long! Wow!"
um yup. "What are you feeding her??" Ebf....
youre not safe no matter what. My son who is 50th percentile for his age/size also gets comments about being skinny or tall or whatever silly observation. People are dumb.
try to brush it off as an attempt at conversation 

jkloeppel

I feel you. DD is over 17 weeks and about 11.5 pounds. People always comment on how small she is. It also doesn't help that she is a hand sucker, so people tell me she must be starving. It happens so often that I honestly just don't acknowledge their comments and change the subject.