[angelstone]

mY CHILD WAS BORN 9-25-06 AND WEIGHED 4 POUNDS 11 OZ..SHE IS NOW OF COURSE ALMOST 15 MONTHS..HER LAST WEIGHT WAS ON NOV.21..SHE WEIGHED 16.4---SO IT SEEMS LIKE SHE GAINS MAYBE 1 POUND A MONTH..DOES THAT SEEM ABNORMAL???I HAVE NEVER WENT TO VISIT AND PICK UP IS SOON..I WAS TALKING WITH MY MOTHER AND SHE SAID THAT WAS REALLY LITTLE FOR HER AGE..ANY OPINIONS???

[saranbr]

She is little, but many Guat babies are. Do you have serial weights? If you do, you might plot them on a growth curve. She will likely be below any of the lines on a standard US growth chart, but if you have several measurements you can see if she is consistently growing which is the most important thing.

[mountainmama]

When our little boy was born, he only wighed 4lbs and 12 oz. When we brought him home at 4.5 months he only weighed 12.12lbs

He is doing fine and weighs around 32lbs at 3 years old. He is still little, but growing fine.


I think you will see a difference once you get your child home.

Congrats,
Amy

[kacmom1]

We brought our son home at 2 1/2 years old and he weighed 19 pounds when we went to the doctor here in the US. He was tiny. I could fit my hands around his little hips. BUT....he has been home for 2 1/2 years and is growing perfectly! He just needed a little nourishment and he took off like a weed! Right now, at 4 years old, he weighs about 38 pounds.

You will definately see a difference when she gets home!

Good luck!

[dovelu]

At 16.5 mos, my dd is 20 pounds even and is small (around/below 10th percentile). I agree with the poster that suggested to graph her weight gain (if you have that info.). My ped. wasn't worried until he noticed a period where she wasn't gaining/growing (we were already home). He did 2 thyroid level checks; one was wacky, the other was normal. We are just keeping an eye on her growth/weight.

Many, many blessings to you on your pick-up trip.
Peace,
Amy

[romee_1101]

My son was five pounds at birth. He came home at 11 months and 15 pounds. My understanding is that they should at least double their weight in the first six months (or is it a year), I cannot remember, and then gain about 4-5 pounds a year after that.

My doctor has not been the least bit concerned about his size or weight, because he is slowly following his own upward curve. He is now in the 20th percentile for height (33 inches), but still not on the charts for weight - 2.3 years and 22 pounds (he has closed the gap, however).

You need to look at overall weight gain, health, etc. Many Guatemalan babies are small. If you compare them to US born babies it can be rather frightening.

Mattie has a little friend who is four months younger than him, but probably five or six pounds heavier. However, in the last few months he has shot up and is now about four inches taller than she is.

Lesley

[annaguat]

Yes, she is petite. I have a bio DD, now 19, who was about that weight at that age. She was 11 lb at 13 months. Anna

[SKL]

I agree with those who say she may well gain weight shortly after coming home. My daughter was quite skinny at homecoming but now (2.5 months later) has a little "belly" to pat. Still "tiny" but moving closer to normal. Shortly after homecoming she switched from a nearly 100% liquid diet, which she took in small quantities, to a more normal combination of liquids and solids. I do not know why she was such a poor eater at pickup (could have been the trauma, so I don't want to judge her treatment in Guatemala), but she is doing great now.

[katfishy3]

She does sound small. But you have to remember the Guatemalans are small people. All gain weight at their own pace. Hopefully she will be in your arms soon!

[Alexismandyjr]

Remember to not focus on the US growth charts. They really don't apply to Guat babies.

Weight is also a very individual thing. I have to to extremes... I have a peanut that's 2 1/2 and weighs only 24 lbs and eats us out of house and home. Then there's our 8 month old giant who wieghs 22 lbs and wears the same size as his 2 1/2 year old brother!

[guatmama2b]

She does sound small, but I really wouldn't worry (many reasons stated in prevous posts.) My thing was that as long as DS was gaining weight every month and not losing it, we were ok. He is home now and is still small (10th percentile) but continues to gain at a healthy rate.

[Wonk]

The other thing I would caution you is that folks from Guatemala are small. I'm 5'2" and felt like I was a giant when I went down there. I was taller than almost all the women and the same height as most of the men. So you have to sort of adjust in your head for that. 16 pds is a little small but our daughter after being home for almost a year is only 19 pds at 16 months. So not dramatically small.

[Pipercub]

My daughter is 18 months old and 19 pounds (and developmentally ahead!) Our kiddos are smaller than many US babies - it's in their genes. No worries!

P.S. To look at my daughter - she has a really nice round belly. She is NOT skinny at all - her biological mother was 4 ft 8 inches. She won't be tall, and that's just fine. <3

[Pipercub]

To tie in with my post above, here is a picture of my Susanna. She is 18 months old / 19 pounds. Beside her is one of our friends 22 month old boy. Granted, he exceptionally tall for his age (his daddy is 6 foot 6 inches) and he wears toddler size 3. Just four months apart in age, and he is some 9 inches taller than her. She barely goes up to his shoulders! Kiddos come in all shapes and sizes! I think your little one will probably be just fine. <3

[valmartin]

Hello. My big concern when I was adopting my son fro Guatemala was his weight. He was born 5lbs 3 ounces. When he was 15 months he weighted 21 lbs and 1/2 ounce.

Now he is 17 months as only weights 23lbs. Of course his weight flucates because somedays he wants to eat and others he does not. Of course colds and flus do not help increase weight.

Sounds like your child is doing well with the weight. I personally would not worry. Remember the American nutrition is much better than in Guatemala, they tend to gain weight when the kids come home.

Congrats on preparing for pick up.