grow! grow! grow!

Soluna had her one year appointment this week.

The stats: 19lbs 4oz, 28.5 inches long, 45.3cm around her head

Our doctor said she looked great, despite falling a little on the growth chart. He was not worried at all. For those non-parentals reading my blog, a growth chart is used to monitor the height, weight, and head circumference of your baby over time. It shows where your baby fits in compared to babies similar in age and gives you a percentile of how many babies weigh less, are shorter and have a smaller head then your baby. Another way that science tries to dictate what is normal...

There has been a lot of controversy over these charts since some say the actual charts were done in the 70s when the norm was to formula-fed babies and start solid foods way before the 6th month. Sometimes these charts are misused and LLLI has stories about how breastfeeding moms are pressured by doctors to supplement feedings with formula just because babies growth curve is falling. They lable this occurence as "failure to thrive" and fail to take into consideration other factors of why the babies curve may be a little different.

So Soluna is smaller than average in weight and height and average in terms of head size, no big deal. Breastfed babies usually weigh less than formula-fed babies, then catch up later as shown on this growth chart found on Kellymom.com and was created by the WHO:

Soluna would fit a little below the 50% for breastfed babies.

A UCDavis researcher suggests that this difference in weight has to do with how formula-fed babies retain more water and have a different composition in body fat.

We keep fielding comments like: "Oh! She's so tiny!" "She's a little thing, isn't she?" And in both Ben and my families, it always seems like fatter babies are seen as healthier. A few relatives keep giving her clothes that are sizes smaller than her actual age (which totally don't fit). With all the formula feeding trends in our world.. yea she is smaller but a totally happy, healthy, active and funny 1 year old!!

Just because I love advocating for breastfeeding here are 7 Ways Breastfed Babies Become Healthier Adults from Dr. Sears!