My daughter just had her 12 month checkup. She is healthy, has chubby cheeks, and is just starting wean from breastfeeding. She lost almost a pound since her last doctor's visit, which put her in the seventh percentile for weight. She is all over the place and very active so maybe that accounts for her weight loss. Should I be concerned?
Because of your daughter's weight loss it is a good idea for you to keep in touch with your doctor to rule out any underlying medical cause.
The fact that your daughter is very active is a good sign. Perhaps her increased activity and interest in the outside world has caused her to "burn off" some of her baby fat and simultaneously caused a decrease in her interest in food.
There is also the chance that the solids she is eating are not calorically dense enough for her to match her activity level. Breastmilk is very high in fat, but generally the first solids offered a baby are not.
If she is just taking over the job of feeding herself, then her consumption may be down because of that. It is also normal for consumption to go down during the weaning process and the transition off of the breast and onto a cup. After a month or so it should pick up again. I bet you will see this happen soon.
Also keep in mind that your daughter is on the verge of entering her toddler years, where picky eating is the norm. Intake is down, activity is up, and growth rate declines. Therefore, don't expect any big jump in her food intake after the weaning process is complete. Things will take a while to settle into place.
Some parents are so anxious to be sure their child eat lots of fruits and vegetables because of their reputation as "good" foods, that they overfeed them to a baby, not recognizing they aren't providing the calories their baby needs. Their volume takes up room for other foods that may serve baby better from an energy and nutrition standpoint. It is very important to include fruits and vegetables in baby's diet, but not too much.
Because your daughter is small, she will not be able to eat large volumes of food, so the food you serve her must pack a nutrition and calorie punch.
The following foods would be good to serve your one year old to help keep her calorie intake up:
- Iron fortified baby cereal, mixed with whole milk or formula
- Pudding made with whole milk and egg
- Tender cooked meats like ground beef
- Spread tahini, cream cheese or butter on her toast and bread
- Put cheese sauce on tender cooked vegetable
- Macaroni and cheese
- Ripe avocados
- High quality ice cream
- Full fat yogurt
- Creamed soups
- Scrambled eggs or chopped hard cooked egg, especially the yolk
Perhaps your daughter is just settling down into what is to be her naturally small stature. Are either you or your husband small? Or, perhaps she is just going through a phase of slow physical growth.
Over time you will find out. The best you can do for her, it to keep in close communication with your pediatrician, offer her a wide variety of nutritious foods, and allow her to eat as much or as little of them as she wants.
