Help

My lovely 3.5 year old is 99 percentile. She was 10.1 lbs when born and has followed that since! I feel terrible because I struggled with my weight as a child, had image issues where I don’t think my mum handled it very well ( asking my mum if I was fat and she told me that I’m fine but to not gain any more) which looking back I wasn’t big and my mum had undiagnosed adhd. Still feels shit though So my question, my daughter looks a bit big. But she just looks like a toddler, she has a belly but she doesn’t look overweight if that makes sense? She is noticeably bigger than her classmates and her belly pops out quite a bit. She has a wonderful varied diet, very limited sweet and salt treat things, no juice and she’s really active. My hubby is going to the gym and is into fitness and keeps making little comments about her size I find rather triggering. I feel fiercely defensive that I’m doing right by her and she is fine but I also worry that is clouding a judgment of potential medical issues? I’m not sure what to do.

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To add, she is quite tall, she wears 6-7 year old clothing and size 11 feet

It sounds like she's tall too, I mean my toddler has a belly (esp when she needs to poo or has just eaten), but has proportional legs, arms, etc., does her weight correlate to her height and she looks in proportion? You could always take her to the drs to check. But I'd be just as worried about dad's comments even if she is or isn't overweight. I don't want to fear monger but my dad was the same and I struggled with an ED for years x

If she is eating well and she's active, then I don't think weight/appearance matters. People associate health with thinness, but that's just a societal norm and not a true indicator of wellness. A large portion of weight and body type is determined by genetics. I would say that if her doctor isn't worried about her size, you shouldn't be either. Also, your husband should keep the comments to himself so he doesn't give her body image issues in the future. My parents were yoyo dieters obsessed with their weight and mine, and I struggled with an ED for a very long time. I still struggle with it, honestly.

I agree with @Kerry and @Taylor I would try to reframe your mindset about weight. It's something I have had to do over the years and it's helped a lot. Even at my healthiest BMI (22%) and lowest clothes size (women's 8) I was still considered overweight (155lb) because I am shorter and stockier and the scale was higher than it was supposed to be for my height 5'4". I wish I had known then what I know now and been able to enjoy it 😅 It's not about your weight or body size. Everyone is proportioned a bit differently. It's about being healthy, eating right and moving.

She is fine. Often, kids will grow out right before they grow up, if that make sense, so she might just be getting ready for another growth spurt. You can ask your pediatrician if there are conditions common for kids at higher percentiles, but it will be mostly for your own reassurance. Definitely keep addressing your husband's comments, though. They are harmful and need to stop.

Don't feel bad 😓 my son is also 3.5, turning 4 in August. Wears size 5-6 in clothes and size 12.5 in shoes. When he was born, his height was in the 95th percentile

Thank you so much everyone, she looks very proportional it’s just she has a belly, but observing that she is a bit bigger after eating and needing a poo so I’m glad there’s no cause for concern! It’s really put me at ease ❤️❤️❤️❤️

She’s a toddler….

Im aware

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