Healthy ways to 'fatten' up a skinny minnie!

DD is 17 months and weighs around 10kgs, maybe 9.5kgs. I don't know what 'percentile' she's currently on (haven't been to MCHN for 7 months!) but she is definitely quite petite. In the last 6 months she's had 4 ear infections, gastro, and now currently has pharyngitis. So, lots of sickness, antibiotics, and not eating much. Every time she gets a bit of weight on, she gets sick and loses it. :wall:

I'm looking for ideas on how to, healthily, fatten her up! She loves cheese and full fat yoghurt (though not too much at the moment as I'm wary of how the dairy affects mucous production when she's sick). Eats all kinds of fruit, but obviously that's not going to add on weight!

I know there was a thread on this somewhere but I can't find it. :doh:

Any advice would be most welcome!

I had an 'operation fatty'; on my DS2 when he was about 18 months - fyi he weight about 10kg at 2yo... and driopped to much lower like 8.5 after some sickness at around 18 months. my doc heloped me with a plan to get some more chub on him.
i gave him incremin which helped with iron and boosts appetite

food things -
- healthy fats - stirred o9live oil through pasta before adding sauce, lots of avocado when he woudl eat it and nut spreads (no salt etc)
- coconut crweam in sauces
- added milk powder to his milk drinks - so it was more fatty than full fat
- grated cheese in many things e.g. eggs, pasta etc
- made lots of smoothies with yoghurt, milk, milk powder, banana etc
made each meal really count - so no low valuie cnacks but lots of really good nutrient foods - e.g. instead of a muesli bar or something i would give cheese and crackers or yoghurt and fruit or a smoothie/milk shake
- different heathy meat choices - e.g.cooking with chicken thuighs instead of breast fillets

i also introduced 'supper' for the boys before they gop to bed - usually some cereal and milk or english muffins with peanut butter or cheese. they both love this.

My DS2 was also fusy and avoided meals - but once hye weas eating he would have a lot. i noticed he is a big breakfast eater so i load him up then with eggs, milk, cheese etc. try to be lead by her appetite at diff times of the day

will see if i can remember anything else.

just in relation to the ear infections, have you had her checked out by an ENT for middle ear/tonsils/adenoids problems?

My 3.5 yr old only weighs 12.3kgs and nothing I give her fattens her up. She just has one of those body frames and one of those metabolisms that doesn't gain weight easily at all, but loses it so quickly.

Fruit will help gain weight, especially things like grapes, plums etc that are full of sugar. Bananas are also pretty good for weight.

Otherwise, full fat everything and carbs. Add cream or cheese where you can to sauces. Breads, rices etc

FWIW, I have stressed over my DD2's weight since she was only a few months old. We have seen a paed regularly with her for other issues and he has no concerns about her weight at all. So long as your LO is active and alert, try not to worry too much. Hard I know, especially when they get sick and drop a heap that they can't really afford to lose

Here is a similar thread...

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...oddler-166668/

HTH!

My sister had to do this with her DD. Lots of eggs, full fat cheese, yogurt and milk. She also started giving her milo :hide: and other additives to milk to help her drink lots. I believe my sister also gave her vitamins to make sure she was getting all the right things.

I'll try to think of other things she did. Her DD is still skinny but not too bad now. She had also been pretty sick and the low weight wasn't helping her fight off all the infections she was getting.

My DD at 16 months weighed only 9kgs so we started feeding her up on porridge and bananas and shes now almost 18 months and between 10-11kgs. She is also on cows milk instead of formula and im noticing she is starting to fill out.

Speaking as a Skinny Minnie myself, you may just have a DD with a fast metabolism and there mightn't be much you can do about it! I was always little and Mum used to be told by her MCHN that I was too skinny and needed fattening up, but my GP said exactly the same as LuluHB - nothing to worry about as long as I was active, alert and well. The biggest worry I had (and still do) is getting sick and losing weight I can't afford to, but there's nothing I can do about it. I eat more than DH, and lots of good fats, carbs, dairy, protein etc (DH put on 30kg within 18 months of moving in with me and eating the way I do :redface:)

I always eat little and often, so I'd encourage you to have food around all the time. Never go more than two-three hours without offering food. I know DS can be definitely NOT hungry one moment and STARVING 10 minutes later! And take advantage of your DD's 'hungry' times - is there one or more times during the day when she wants to keep eating? (DS often eats and eats at dinner time but won't have more than a bite or two of afternoon tea). I also agree with MamaPan's tips; they're awesome! :)
Not sure how you feel about raw eggs, but I was advised to have raw eggs in my milkshakes/smoothies when I was younger (lots older than your DD though!). An egg a day is good too - zucchini slice or crustless quiche is a good way to include them with some veges (and you can put cream in the quiche instead of milk, plus carbs like rice, pasta, potato or quinoa.) Zuchini slice freezes well too! Does your DD eat nuts? Things like putting cottage/cream cheese or peanut butter on toast instead of jam and butter, nuts for snacks, fruit and yoghurt instead of just yoghurt, homemade pike lets with grated cheese, carrot and zucchini, with cottage cheese on top too! A good quality full fat ice-cream is good too. Homemade fruit and yoghurt ice blocks are yummy in summer too!
I was a little worried about DS's diet at one stage and kept a food diary for a month - it was a lot of work, but it was a fantastic exercise as I realised he was eating a lot more than I thought and though he'd go 'off' stuff, his average food intake over a week was really varied and healthy. I'd recommend it, and it could help pinpoint if food is contributing to her health issues.

edit - A friends DD is only 9kgs at 19 months and her GP has no concerns.

Wow, lots of awesome advice, thanks ladies! Will be taking notes, putting on fridge to remind me later of good things to feed her. I have been giving her an egg for breaky every other day - sometimes she eats the whole thing, other times just a 1/4 of it. Breaky seems to be where she varies the most in terms of eating. Some days are great, others not. We did baby led solids and she took to that brilliantly and it's only in the last month or two that she won't eat things she used to love. But maybe her tastes are changing?

She's on formula, only has 1 x 120ml and 2 x 90ml bottle a day, and often refuses most of the two smaller ones. I haven't put her on cows milk yet because its actually easier (I find) using formula - no worrying about running out of fresh milk, easy to take to places etc. But maybe that could make a difference?

The comments about metabolism could be spot on, I had a great metabolism and it's only really starting to slow down now. So she could take after me - I hadn't really thought of that!

Ginger - our GP said to wait and see how she goes during summer, hoping that the warmer weather will stop her getting many more ear infections. Her Aunties and our niece on DH's side all had ear problems and needed grommets, so it could be a female trait! Her hearing seems ok, that is to say she responds when spoken to etc but she hasn't had a hearing test since the one just after birth. But I am definitely going to keep an eye on it and if she gets another couple of infections before winter, I think an ENT is in order.

I have two very little ones, both at one stage classed as FTT.
DS4 is 2 and just over 9kg and DD3 is 3 and 10.5kg (they are short also). There was some concerned at times and for my DS saw peads and had numerous test but all came back fine but now even though they are small their peads are happy because the are happy and healthy.

I am about 47-48kg and 166cm tall so genes do play a part in it.

With the infections a multi vitamin like pentavite may be beneficial also some probiotics which can help to build up the immune system.

The other girls have made wonderful suggestions on the 'fattening up' foods :) I find graving rather than big meals is better, I think most kids do that though.

ok, it's just that my ds just had tonsils/adenoids out and grommets put in and now he won't stop eating. he has stacked on the weight.

Hi,
I wonder, is there a history of allergies or intolerances in your family or her dad's? Does anyone in the family get asthma or eczema? Is anyone coeliac? Is she breastfed?
At this age she needs meat vegies, cereals - normal family foods. She can have a good dollop of olive oil or butter if not dairy intolerant in it all. But don't stress. Petite is Ok - we spend the first years of their life fattening them up and the rest of their life thinning them down.

Hi Barb - there's eczema (DH and I) and childhood asthma (me). She was fully BF until 9 mths, she then started refusing every other feed and eventually stopped at about 11 months. You are right - we do worry about them being too thin and then later it's all about being too fat! It just concerns me when she's sick and not eating much. When she is well she eats like a trooper :)

Mixing with juice didn't work, she's never had juice before so she refused it! The ER Dr told me it probably was viral, not bacterial, so we've stopped the antibiotics now (after 2 traumatic days with no improvement). Nurofen has helped keep her fever down and now just hoping lots of rest (and as much fluid as I can get her to take) will help.

maybe do some research into pro biotics and get to a health food store and get some probiotic power suitable for kids? Metagenics is the best brand if you can find it.
poor gut function from anti biotics and illness can effect nutrient absorbtion and weight gain/loss.

I'd be doing almond butter, avacado, cod liver oil, salmon, organic butter, egg yolks and coconut cream / coconut oil.

good luck! it can be so stressful having a little one sick and worrying about weight. I have been there with one of mine around that age.

I wouldn't worry too much, my DS is 19 mths and has just hit the 10kg mark, he is an appropriate weight for his height, both in the 3rd percentile. Though if you are concerned, there is a kids sustagen you can buy from the chemist, it is a supplement for kids who may not be getting an adequate dietry intake. Increased calories and balanced vitamins and minerals.