Both of my children were little bundles of joy, barely making a mark on the growth charts. I affectionately referred to them as my “little sparrows,” with long, slender limbs that reminded me of birds. There were no chubby cheeks or roly-poly tummies in sight—just lean, active babies. While I was grateful to deliver those 6-pounders without too much trouble, I soon found myself in a constant state of worry about ensuring they gained enough weight.
Living at a high altitude, I’ve observed that many babies here appear smaller too. During storytime at the library, I noticed most kids were scrawny, waddling around with their pants slipping down. They eventually catch up by grade school, but it’s perplexing why they seem so tiny at first. One theory I heard is that the effort to get enough oxygen at this elevation burns off the baby fat. I wish that worked for me!
Here are some hard-earned truths I discovered while raising my small children:
- People will frequently question if you’re feeding them enough. Of course, I do! It consumes my thoughts daily, and even when the doctor reassures me that my child is on their growth trajectory, I still find myself attempting to bulk them up.
- You’ll constantly worry about the quality of your breast milk. I often wondered, “Is it just water?” You’ll justify indulging in desserts and bacon, believing it must be enriching your milk.
- Babywearing can become a lifelong endeavor; you’ll be carrying them around long after they should be walking independently.
- You’ll resort to extreme measures to add calories, like pouring olive oil into oatmeal and mixing avocados, bananas, and cheese into everything. You’ll become an expert on calorie counts, and your kids will be no strangers to full-fat ice cream.
- The day they finally make it onto the weight chart will be a cause for celebration. My daughter hit the second percentile when she was almost two, and I may have shed a happy tear.
- Finding clothes that fit will be a continual struggle. It wasn’t until my son turned ten that he finally matched his age with the size of his clothes. I often thought other children must be giants!
- They will start running before you feel ready. Mine zipped around at nine months with no extra weight to slow them down, leading to many adventures and a fair share of panic.
- Your mother will likely worry more than you do. My mom, a passionate feeder, wanted them to be chubby and well-fed, which only added to my stress.
- You’ll admire the adorable rolls of fat on your friends’ babies. Seeing creases on their arms was a revelation! How do you even bathe babies with all those folds?
- You’ll find yourself limited to brands that offer adjustable waistbands, as standard sizes just won’t cut it.
- Your child may wear the same bathing suit for years. My daughter still fits into a 2T swimsuit bottom, and she’s about to turn six!
- Expect your child to become frustrated when strangers misjudge their age. Grocery store trips can become awkward as a result.
- When your little one falls ill and refuses to eat, it will be especially stressful. They can’t afford to lose any of that hard-earned weight!
- Teaching a child with minimal body fat to swim can be quite the challenge—they tend to sink! My daughter has puzzled many swim instructors.
- Those skinny-armed hugs are undeniably the best, and they fit perfectly in your lap for a long time.
If you’re navigating parenthood with a smaller-than-average toddler, remember that the comments will eventually fade. They will grow, and as they age, people will care less about their weight or growth percentile. You’ll find yourself worrying less about every calorie and more about whether they’re eating anything green!
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