My 3 year old weighs 44 pounds

[asoctoberfalls]

I haven't weighed him in a while...like since his 3 year well visit 8 months ago, when he weighed 37 pounds. He weighs 44 pounds now and is only 40.5" tall. I'm kind of freaking out. He's always been 95%+ for weight and started out 90%+ for height but is now 60-70%. I've noticed he's been feeling really heavy lately (he still tries to con us into carrying him), but this seems alarming.

He eats a healthy diet all week minus dessert every night and the daycare carb crap In the mornings, but he sometimes has junky meals on weekends. He doesn't eat a ton, either.

Has anyone else been there? We haven't seen his doctor recently to ask.

[lilac05]

DS1 was 40lbs and 40/41" at his 3 year check-up. I think he was around 44lb/44" at his 4 year check. I'm not worried. I swear his bones are filled with lead! I have to tighten his adjustable pants almost as tight as they go.

Was his weight done at the doctor's office? Scales can fluctuate quite a bit. If you're really concerned, you can call your pedi. This doesn't sound alarming to me, though. Maybe you could try to cut down the portion size of his desserts at night or make them a little healthier, but I wouldn't do major restrictions at this point.

[Deleted]

Maybe he's just in a streak?
Last summer DD went through a phase where she gained 8 pounds pretty rapidly and ended up weighing 36.5 at her well visit. My dr. sort of freaked and started with the lectures and I felt bad and ranted on here.

It was rapid. She needed new summer clothes half way through spring even as she was up an entire size.

It's now halfway through March and you know much she weighs now? 36.2 pounds...lol. So she's back to perfectly average. And guess who's summer clothes from last year still fit perfectly this year?

I'd maybe see if you can cut the dessert and maybe clean up the junk on the weekends, but I have no doubt you're doing the best you can and that's all you can do.

Hang in there. I remember feeling really bad about it too, but kids are who they are and they all grow differently.

[scribellesam]

DS1 always seems to chunk up just before he has a growth spurt. Maybe yours is due to shoot up pretty soon?

[Ashley&Scott]

I would not be worried. At M's 3 year well check two months ago he was 39lb & 39" tall. His pediatrician didn't bat an eye, he's always been around 90th percentile for height & weight.

[Deleted]

Mar 15, 2015 21:45:11 GMT -5 Ashley&Scott said:

I would not be worried. At M's 3 year we'll check two months ago he was 39lb & 39" tall. His pediatrician didn't bat an eye, he's always been around 90th percentile for height & weight.

I agree. DS was also 39lbs and 39" talk at his 3 year well check two weeks ago. Pedi was completely unconcerned, he said DS was maintaining his growth curve.

[ginkgoleaf]

DS was 45lbs at a sick doctor visit last week. He turns 4 in a month. He's a solid kid but also very tall for his age. As long as they're somewhat in proportion, I wouldn't worry.

[hocus2]

My older child has always been big and at 5 her weight out of proportion to her height for the first time. The doctor mentioned it but I feel that aside from keeping her active there isn't that much that can be done right now and that panicking will not help. I want to see if she slims down in the summer or if she grows without putting on more weight bringing her back into proportion. If the trend continue I may consider taking her to a nutritionist at 6 (her diet is very limited and I want to change it for host of reasons).

[laurack]

my daughter is almost 3, at her two year check she was 25th for height and 50th for weight. There was no concern at the proportions being off.

A couple months after she shot up a few inches and seems to not be gaining much weight. So I assume she's evened out ..

try not to worry! 3 is still so young, perfectly normal to be stocky I would say. I suppose you could cut back/cut out the desserts, unless you mean fruit for dessert.

[jamlsull]

I have worried about this with my daughter, who will be 4 in May, and weighs 52 lbs! She's about 42" tall but from last summer to just recently she was only 40". So we're thinking it's time for her to shoot up some more. She has always been in the high 90 %tile for both weight & height, but her height dropped down around turning 3 I believe. She is very solid, very active & eats pretty good (lots of fruits & veggies, not a lot of sweets). So we're trying not to worry too much just yet, which is hard!

[Deleted]

DS1 weighed 41lbs at his 3 year well visit, and 10 months later, he still weighs exactly the same. It goes in spurts. As long as you know he is eating a healthy diet, and playing, I wouldn't worry about it.

FWIW, at the 3 YO well visit, the pedi said that being 41lbs technically put him in the "overweight" category. But he told us not to worry about it, he didn't really worry about a child's weight until closer to the age of 5.

[asoctoberfalls]

Mar 16, 2015 8:58:12 GMT -5 incogneato said:

Are you or your DH tall? All my friends who are tall have gotten lectured about their kids weight/BMI at some point, then BAM, the kid shoots up six inches. I wouldn't lose sleep but maybe swap out dessert for some fruit most nights.

DH is 6'4". I hope his height just has to even out a bit!

His dessert is one cookie or one piece of candy. He eats a variety of foods but does have a rather high fat diet for GI issues. (He used to have frequent diarrhea, so they wanted him to eat more fat because of that). All that really means is whole milk, but I've recently started buying 2%. He doesn't drink tons of milk anyway - kefir is his beverage of choice.

He definitely likes sweets and snack foods. I really have to limit him at home. He will eat healthy foods too, though. He's always been a good eater, but I don't think he eats a ton.

I would be much less concerned if he was taller, but he's only 61% for height. Maybe he's due for a growth spurt! He's only grown 2" this year.

[asoctoberfalls]

Oh, and one piece of candy = one starburst, one mini candy bar, etc. - not a full size candy bar.

[madringal]

I wouldn't bee too worried if my pedi wasn't. BUT, you mentioned he eats dessert every night, crap breakfast, and junk food on the weekends. There might be some ways to get more healthy options in there.

[kitty63]

Another vote for growth spurt coming up. You can literally see my DD plump up each time before she sprouts.

[jessnpaul]

I have the exact opposite problem. My almost 3 year old is still only 23 pounds and 34.5"! And DH and I are both tall (5'11" for him, 5'8" for me). He's getting taller but he can't gain weight!

[catbus]

Mar 16, 2015 10:42:43 GMT -5 @littlemoxie said:

There's probably nothing wrong, but I'd try to cut back on the dessert to 3 times a week and see if you can up the protein intake a bit during the week and just have one junky meal on the weekends.

Not because of weight, but just because of habits. It's so hard for me not to have something sweet every day, and I really hope not to pass that habit onto DS.

This is what prompted me to do a Whole30 (which I'm now halfway through)--I wanted to kick the sugar cravings. And they're so ingrained in my psyche that I've had two dreams about binge-eating cookies or candy in the last week, even though during the day I truly have no desire. Tells me it's definitely a psychological/comfort want (for me). 

[asoctoberfalls]

Mar 16, 2015 10:35:20 GMT -5 madringal said:

I wouldn't bee too worried if my pedi wasn't. BUT, you mentioned he eats dessert every night, crap breakfast, and junk food on the weekends. There might be some ways to get more healthy options in there.

Yeah, I definitely need to do better on the weekends...for him and for myself! He usually has chicken nuggets and fries once, but this past weekend it was twice. I think that's the first time he's had that twice.

I absolutely HATE the federal food program for breakfast. It's awful. Lots of carbs and sugar, and nary a gram of protein. And they wonder why Americans are fat when this is how our government is telling us we should eat...Giving him protein before daycare is a good idea.

[catbus]

Mar 16, 2015 11:25:51 GMT -5 asoctoberfalls said:

Mar 16, 2015 10:35:20 GMT -5 madringal said:

I wouldn't bee too worried if my pedi wasn't. BUT, you mentioned he eats dessert every night, crap breakfast, and junk food on the weekends. There might be some ways to get more healthy options in there.

Yeah, I definitely need to do better on the weekends...for him and for myself! He usually has chicken nuggets and fries once, but this past weekend it was twice. I think that's the first time he's had that twice.

I absolutely HATE the federal food program for breakfast. It's awful. Lots of carbs and sugar, and nary a gram of protein. And they wonder why Americans are fat when this is how our government is telling us we should eat...Giving him protein before daycare is a good idea.

Yes, I also despise the guidelines. My kid does not need anywhere near as many carbohydrates as they're required to offer. Seriously. And there's a major behavioral difference (for the better) when he gets eggs and berries for breakfast instead of pancakes and bananas. 

[asoctoberfalls]

Mar 16, 2015 11:48:50 GMT -5 @fivedogs said:

Mar 16, 2015 11:25:51 GMT -5 asoctoberfalls said:

Yeah, I definitely need to do better on the weekends...for him and for myself! He usually has chicken nuggets and fries once, but this past weekend it was twice. I think that's the first time he's had that twice.

I absolutely HATE the federal food program for breakfast. It's awful. Lots of carbs and sugar, and nary a gram of protein. And they wonder why Americans are fat when this is how our government is telling us we should eat...Giving him protein before daycare is a good idea.

That's just the minimum that the daycare can choose to do, and it doesn't have to include "sugar" (versus carbs).  It can be a vegetable, grain, and milk, but most places cheap out and do juice instead of the vegetable/fruit.  They can choose to add protein.  My kids don't eat breakfast at daycare, but today it is egg muffins with spinach and cheese, plus milk.  Other days it is carb (pancakes, oatmeal, etc.) plus berries and milk, which I would be fine with, even if it is light on protein.  No juice.  The lunch and afternoon snacks require more protein.

Americans are overweight/obese for a variety of reasons.  I highly doubt the reimbursement program is the major cause, especially for families that don't depend on it for the majority of their nutrition.    

ETA:  They are required to offer (for example) a half slice of whole grain bread, a half cup of vegetable or fruit, and 0.75 cup milk for breakfast.  The problem is when the daycare chooses to offer additional cheap carbs or juice or starchy fruit.   

And I don't think the federal guidelines are perfect, but I think a ton of daycares hide behind them as justification for their choices.  But choosing to service juice instead of a vegetable or a better variety of fruits is 100% on them, and most daycares charge enough to afford the better choices.   

I don't disagree with you that daycares cheap out and just do the minimum.  The problem is, I can't find a daycare in my area that does any better.  I've checked every single one.  I definitely would not mind packing DS's food, but I think he'd have a really hard time if he was the only child eating a different meal.  Strictly speaking for my son (not that I want the lower-income families to lose the help), I would actually rather his daycare didn't serve meals at all than serve the federal food program.

[mslhb]

My DD has always been about 25th percentile for height and 50th percentile for weight. Our ped has never been concerned. She has always been a very solid child. My DH is tall and I am average height so I expect one of these years to have a big growth spurt in height.