How do I help my peanut gain weight?

kristin7701 · February 2014

All of my kids had good birth weights (8-9 lbs) and then really thinned out. DD takes the cake -- at her 15 month well visit, she was 31.5" (50th percentile) and 18 lbs, 8 oz (5th). She gained just 1 lb. since her 1 yr. visit.

She's an okay eater -- not terrible, not great. She eats oatmeal with whole milk and maple syrup for breakfast, along with Cheerios and some apple. Lunch might be half a sunbutter and jelly sandwich or lentil soup or scrambled eggs (just some of mine). She snacks on yogurt, crackers. Dinner is whatever we're having, though this is her smallest meal of the day. If she didn't eat any veggies, I'll give her a squeezie pouch (but she doesn't always finish). She also has 2 8 oz. bottles of whole milk each day.

Thoughts on what else I can give her? We haven't introduced nuts yet since DS1 has a peanut and tree but allergy.

Hummingbirdbaby3 · February 2014

Tall and thin

hmmmm was pedi concerned? Sounds like our meal plan. Benjamin has toast, yogurt, fruit, and Cheerios for breakfast after his 8 oz bottle. Lunch is grilled cheese, turkey and cheese, quesadilla, leftover dinner, or something else, and fruit. Dinner varies as well depending on what we are having. But he has protein and veggies for dinner most of the time. At bedtime he still has an 8oz bottle.
He's a big guy 33 inches and almost 27lbs.
If pedi wasn't concerned i wouldn't worry too much. Ask pedi what you can do to help her gain a bit more weight.

fusionbride · February 2014

As long as you are feeding her when she's hungry, and continuing to give her food until she's full/no longer interested, I think that its fine. If all your kids were this way, then I wouldn't be too worried unless your pedi is concerned.

to answer your question, though: avocado, meat and cheese come to mind as being very calorie-dense.

kristin7701 · February 2014

I don't think the pedi is overly concerned but DD has been dropping through the percentiles.

LBStewart · February 2014

DD isn't the best eater, but I try to focus on things that she'll eat. Often it's the same thing over and over again. She loves eggs!! She also does okay eating sandwiches, quesadillas, and yogurt. Often though, I try giving her pieces of what I'm eating. Sometimes she'll eat it and other times she won't. Fruits and veggies are almost nonexistent in her diet unfortunately.

kangtini · February 2014

What about string cheese? LO loves it.

billybumbler · February 2014

My LO is a peanut too, her weight is similar to your LO's. I used to worry a lot but pedi says she is fine and she eats a lot. I don't give her a lot of industrialized food and she almost never has sweets, so I'm not "helping" her get fat - I think it's more important that she has a balanced diet. My LO likes bananas and avocados. Pasta with cheese filling is also a big hit.

techg0ddess · February 2014

We dropped a lot too. He was 22.1 at his 1 year appointment and 22.3 at his 15 month appointment. We got a paper with ways to power pack his food. It sounds like you are doing most of it already though. They are just really active. The doctors only concern was if his body is keeping and using calories correctly (we had the same issue when he was first born too. he went from 8lbs 7oz to 7lbs 14oz at his first week check up). Some of these suggestions might not be all that healthy to some people but it was given with the thought of can his body use the fat and store it in mind. We've introduced cream cheese with crackers mainly. We also use the Carnation Instant breakfast for a snack before bedtime on days when he doesn't eat much dinner. Z isn't a big meal person but would rather snack all day.

Hopefully it's helpful in some way for you.

billybumbler · February 2014

Those are some good tips @techg0ddess, thanks!

CCM82909 · February 2014

With I, we were told to do Carnation instant breakfast in every milk cup he got. We don't do a whole packet, but it helps. Avocados and just making sure to offer around the clock really helped boost his weight. FWIW, he went from the 4th% to 0% and the pedi told us that as long as he is happy and healthy, weight may just be a genetic thing.

lanea8712 · March 2014

My LO just went and at 16m he weighs 19 lbs 14.5 oz. Born at 7 lbs. Pedi keeps telling me to make him gain weight.

I try.... He wants out of his high chair after just a couple mins, then I chase him around while he's doing his thing shocking food in until he spits it out or refuses. I also give him a plate or bowl and see how much he will eat on his own with out being in his high chair. I feed him everything I eat or anything he seems interested in. I just started buying him pedisure. Going to get the carnation breakfast stuff a try too. Makes me feel bad, even though I know I'm doing all I can.

techg0ddess · March 2014

lanea8712 said:

My LO just went and at 16m he weighs 19 lbs 14.5 oz. Born at 7 lbs. Pedi keeps telling me to make him gain weight. I try.... He wants out of his high chair after just a couple mins, then I chase him around while he's doing his thing shocking food in until he spits it out or refuses. I also give him a plate or bowl and see how much he will eat on his own with out being in his high chair. I feed him everything I eat or anything he seems interested in. I just started buying him pedisure. Going to get the carnation breakfast stuff a try too. Makes me feel bad, even though I know I'm doing all I can.

Sounds like Z. I find if i sit in the high chair and put on a show and do things in the kitchen, he'll hang out in his chair and eat stuff. The carnation instant breakfast is much cheaper than the pediasure and has pretty much the same stuff. We've been using that (and letting him eat as many Ritz crackers as he wants

) and he seems to be gaining some weight. Although I think he's going to have a growth spurt up so he might slim down again.

lanea8712 · March 2014

He hasn't had ritz crackers, I'll have to get some!

he's had just about every other cracker / snack cracker though! He seems to eat almost everything, but only wants a couple bites and he's done. It's rough but I gotta get weight on him somehow.

techg0ddess · March 2014

lanea8712 said:

He hasn't had ritz crackers, I'll have to get some! he's had just about every other cracker / snack cracker though! He seems to eat almost everything, but only wants a couple bites and he's done. It's rough but I gotta get weight on him somehow.

Oh and he seems to actually like the whole wheat or everything Ritz better than the regular ones. He's not eating the Ritz as much now that we went and bought a huge box from Sam's Club

. Go figure right

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