The Follow-Up: Overcoming Percentile Anxiety

The PedsDocTalk Podcast: Child Health, Development & Parenting—From a Pediatrician Mom

Dr. Mona Amin

Medicine, Kids & Family, Health & Fitness, Parenting

4.9 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 24 November 2025

⏱️ 15 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this Follow Up episode, I’m opening up about something I’ve counseled countless parents through yet still had to face myself: the emotional weight of percentiles. After my daughter Vera was born, a mix of postpartum complications, exclusive pumping, and constant worry about her petite size pulled me into a spiral I didn’t see coming. This episode walks through that experience with honesty and compassion. I share what feeding looked like in those early weeks, how comparison added pressure, how anxiety shaped her feeding behavior, and the turning points that helped me step back into a steadier perspective. Most importantly, we revisit what matters far more than the number on a chart: the big-picture signs of a thriving baby. If you’ve ever left a checkup feeling shaky or second-guessing yourself, this conversation is for you. In this episode, we talk about: What percentile anxiety actually sounds and feels like for parents How postpartum complications and exclusive pumping layered into worry The comparison trap and why it hits so hard in early parenthood How anxiety can accidentally shape feeding behavior (and how to reset) The real indicators of healthy growth beyond the chart When to seek support for both your baby and your own mental health Why you are not failing your child, even when the numbers feel scary Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome back to the follow-up.
0:03.8	A series on the Pete's Doc Talk podcast, I'm Dr. Mona, and this is where we revisit a past episode
0:09.6	in less time than it takes for your mind to spiral after someone says your baby isn't moving
0:14.2	percentiles.
0:15.3	I wanted to bring this one back because I've seen a wave of parents in my office lately
0:19.6	feeling crushed by weight checks.
0:21.8	Some had real feeding concerns that needed support, and others had babies who were growing well,
0:26.9	hitting milestones and doing everything I want a baby to do.
0:30.1	And yet the worry was still eating them alive.
0:32.5	And I get it.
0:33.3	I've sat on both sides of this.
0:35.3	I had a petite baby, Vera, who was thriving, smiling,
0:39.1	and content, and I still felt like I was failing her
0:42.4	because she wasn't taking a lot of volume
0:44.9	of bottled breast milk or climbing up the curves
0:48.4	like my son did.
0:49.5	I had that same punch in the gut feeling
0:51.4	that maybe my milk was the problem
0:53.6	or something was wrong with my
0:54.7	baby. So this follow-up is for any caregiver who has walked out of a checkup feeling shaky or
0:59.7	unsure when it comes to their baby's weight. And if this clip helps, subscribe to the show,
1:05.9	download the full episode, share it. Remember, this is how you keep us as a top parenting
	...

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