weight percentiles

ok i know that weight percentile questions are often asked, but i am concerned, i took dd in for her 12 month check up today, and they said shes below the 10th percentile, shes 18 lbs, 28 inches, the doc said that i need to STOP breastfeeding immidiatly so she will start eating food more and get up to her expected weight, i asked a question about weaning a while back, and ive taken the advise to wean gradually, ive been slippin up a little, but for the most part its just a after lunch, before naptime, and before bed, so 3 times a day(thats a drastic cut down, she was eating all throughout the day) has anyone been ordered to stop breastfeeding so abruptly?

[ma2isiah]

I would not stop abruptly if I were you. I would try to maybe cut down one feeding a day every few weeks. It is still a good source of nutrition and comfort. Do you think she has been eating enough food?  What was her percentile at 9 months?

[AndiJ78]

Now when weaning, you are replacing the missing meals with something  else, right? I have always waited to wean my boys until after their first birthday so I can replace the dropped feedings with whole milk in a cup. Around the first birthday, solids become a lot more important than they were during the prior 6 mos.

Congrats for making it the full year!! We are a rare breed that is able to do that ; ) Did your child drop in percentiles? Is your family smaller? I just took my youngest in yesterday for his 4 month checkup and he has had nothing but breastmilk and weighs over 17 lbs.

Good luck, I hope you find an answer to your questions. I would advise against quitting all at once, but I would suggest going gradual but make sure you are replacing those feedings with milk and or solid foods.

Andrea  

[Me2mommy2b]

wow, a whole year, huh?  i've been b/f-ing for 5 months and am struggling to get anything now.  You're so lucky.  Anyway, is your child gaining weight steadily?  What weight was she/he born at?  Maybe small frames run in your family???  My 5 month old was born small (5.7) and now kids her age weigh around 20 lbs and DD weighs 13 lbs.  But she's been gaining weight steadily so the dr's not concerned.

[anxiousmomtobe?]

Has her percentile stayed the same or is it dropping?  My kids are skinny.  (Like my dh)  They eat like pigs but always were in a low percentile.  My oldest is nearly 16 and she is 5'4", 100lbs.  She can outeat her 6' bf.  My youngest is 3 and only weigh 36lbs but is off hte charts for height.

I still think weaning gradually is better for both of you.  make it for before nap and before bedtime, that way you are not interfering with any meals.  Offer her lots of food choices throughout the day.  Give her whole milk with her meals.  

I am sure she is just fine, I can tell you are a loving concerned mummy.  You are doing a great job.

[myproblem]

My daughter was 17 lb at 12 mos. She is just small. I am too. She did the same as yours, gained fast at first, then dropped down. I bf her past 20 mos. The Dr. never suggested I stop as long as she was eating other foods. She started whole milk at about 15 mos, but would still nurse at bedtime, and if she woke up in the night. She is still small, but grows at a steady rate. Just try to get more fat in your daughter's diet. The milk  is good, and eggs will be a good choice too. Try making her a high calorie omlette with eggs, milk and cheese. Cut it in small pieces and let her feed herself. Give her a lot of meat too.

[anxiousmomtobe?]

Put a wee bit of chocolate in the milk, then she will love it.  And the little bit of extra calories won't hurt as she is tiny.

Yogurt and cheese are great for 1 year olds as well. I would just keep giving her lots of healthy snacks.

Good luck, I am sure she will be just fine.

Oh and make sure you are eating well too, as if you are depleted that booby juice is not as fattening.

[taysmommy]

yea she dropped percentiles, she weighted 17.5 lbs at 9 months and 18.1 at 12 months, she was in the 95th percentile when she was i think 3 months, she gained weight really fast! but then it steadily dropped to the 75th, the 50th the 25th and now 10th. i feed her food a lot, but im not feeding her very fatty foods(gerber graduates and such) i try to give her reagular table food, but the only thing she will eat is banannas, i recently(like a few days ago) started to introduce whole milk,she didnt like it at first, but now shes getting used to it a little more, thanks for all your inputs, im sure shes fine too, i think i will go against drs orders on this one and just try to get her to eat more snacks inbetween meals, rather than stopping breastfeeding all together, i hope to have her weaned by 14 months, hopefully that will give me time to tapper off gradually, oh yea and i am fairly small, 5'1(with my shoes hehe) and 110 lbs, thats why i was so surprised the doc didnt take this into consideration

[taysmommy]

thanks for all the suggestions, ill try putting some chocolate in the milk, your right im sure she will love that;)

and i tried this morning letting her feed herself, and *poof* she actually ate the whole egg! i dont know why i didnt think of that, its messy but well worth it!

[AndiJ78]

I will advise against too much chocolate! I made that mistake with my first thinking he would prefer a "sweeter" taste due to the sweetness of breastmilk and it took me some time to get him to drink regular milk after that. I started my second on Lactaid Whole milk and it went over much better. It has a naturally sweeter taste, no added stuff necessary.