Overweight/fat infant?!

[lucee09]

My YDD had her 2 month appointment last week and a f/u appt (because of her reflux) this week. She weighs in at 14lbs 3oz at 10 weeks. Before her appointment, I realized that she is rather chunky but because I breastfeed her and she does not seem to eat more than her sister I was not concerned. Until her appointment. The doctor seemed pretty concerned because her percentile has increased a lot (she was a 36 weaker born at 6lbs 5oz) and said we should just keep an eye on it. She then leaves so nurse can give LO her shots and comes back to say she is concerned again. She tells to try to cut a night feeding and to only let her eat from one breast so as to not get the fatty milk in. Now, I have always thought that the fatty milk comes in after you feed them for a while not at the beginning so I'm not sure she knows what she's talking about.
I had a similar issue w/my youngest but the w/the opposite problem. She has always been under the 5th percentile and the NPs and doctors were concerned for a while that she was not gaining appropriately, etc. I even followed up on a referral to a feeding specialist who told me that my pediatrician was overreacting. Turns out she is just petite and everything turned out ok. I am wondering if YDD will eventually just even out? I am a breastfeed on demand kind of person and I think she is too young to try to restrict her feeding times. Before she started getting treated for reflux, I think she was nursing often to relieve pain but her feeding times seem to have normalized. But the doctor made it seem like she could have an underlying issue eventually or that she might "continue down the path" to be overweight. anyone with experience?

[Smplyme89]

I don't even know what to say......

I went through the "he's too small" junk with Nolan (along with every testing known to man) so I tend to believe that babies are just the way they are. Whether it be skinny or chunky

[caligirl07]

I'd get a second opinion... Both of my girls we REALLY chunky babies, like off the charts chunky... I nursed them both exclusively and the Dr was never concerned, just usually chuckled at how chunky they were. My 2nd was 15lbs 7 oz at her 2 month check up... Now they are almost 3 and 5 and skinny girls, its actually all I can do to find jeans that stay on their tiny little bodies! It almost seemed like they both got to 30lbs really quickly and then hardly gained anything for a few years. My 5 year old is 40 lbs now, and my almost 3 year old is 34 lbs.

[lucee09]

seriously...when I was a FTM and they kept telling me my ODD was too small, I was concerned. This...I'm just baffled and don't get it. She's 2 months old!

[i.<3.cheesysmiles]

I fat babies!!! Seriously, though, a breastfed baby cannot eat too much. Continue to feed on demand. I would be looking for a new pedi. Concern about being overweight should not occur in an infant (unless maybe if a parent was giving them something they weren't supposed to eat) but never a BF'ed baby. Breastfed babies know how to regulate their milk input.

DS1 was pretty chunky, but he is within normal ranges now at 3.5 years old. He nursed all.the.time. DS2 is even chunkier, though he does not nurse as often as DS1 did.. He is almost 30 pounds and 14 months old. No doc or nurse has ever been concerned, and neither am I. I even remember my doc telling me to keep doing what I am doing . He was EBF before we introduced solids.

[GA1977]

Parker was always a chubby baby (I pumped and supplemented with formula) and always in the 95% for weight. I can't remember what she weighed at 2 months old but it was around 14 lbs too! no one ever said anything about worrying about her weight. I would get a second opinion

[DucksLikeRain]

My YDD was a 7lb 35 weeker. At 8 weeks she was in the hospital with RSV and they tried to tell me I didn't know my own baby's age because she weighed right around 14 pounds. They swore up and down there was no way an 8 week baby should weigh that much, especially not an early baby like her

Now that she's almost 6 she is still a big kid-has finally come down enough to be on the chart for height and weigh instead of over 99%. Her older sister has never made it above 25-30%, usually around 10-15% for weight so she has outweighed her since they were 1 and 2.

If you know she's eating well and aren't concerned I wouldn't let this doctor suddenly have you concerned, especially since she's BF. It's very hard to over feed a bf baby.

[emma1978]

I think thats crazy! My ds was really small.. He weighs in at 22 lbs at 27 months (tiny). My dd is bigger though not huge. I would never cut back on a feeding to prevent weight gain at this point.

[macksmom]

I have always had small kids so I can't relate but rather than limiting her feeding I would be worried about a metabolic problem? Since she is BF I can't imagine she is eating too much. Most docs look for children/babies to follow a curve. When they stray from the curve either a big loss or a big gain that raises concern. But really, I would give it some time and maybe get a 2nd opinion. See where she is in a few weeks? I'd be reluctant to limit her breastmilk intake at 2 months old....I am surprised a doctor would recommend that!

[CoffeeCat]

Absolutely seek a second opinion.

You cannot overfeed an exclusively breastfed 2 month old. Period. If you have to put her in a size 5 diaper adhered with duct tape because her fat rolls are sumo-like...still healthy. Seriously. Of course I'm exaggeratng but I would think they would be THRILLED that your technically preemie child is thriving! Good job, momma!

[BabyHopes]

I'd get a new pedi! I think yours is totally off! My DD was born at around the 50% and quickly rose to around 98% and stayed there until about 18 months old. She had rolls and rolls and rolls. Everyone still laughs about it. She has been close to the same weight now for well over a year and is now back in the 45% for her weight. She was exclusively breastfed and my pedi ALWAYS praised her chunky weight (he even cheered when I asked if it was okay). We saw another pediatriation in the same practice and I asked his opinion- he said that they NEVER get concerned about weight unless it doesn't start leveling out at around 18m. I would not take breastfeeding advice from your pedi. It sounds like she has no idea what she is talking about.

Good job momma!

[tanyachap]

Absolutely seek a second opinion.

You cannot overfeed an exclusively breastfed 2 month old. Period. If you have to put her in a size 5 diaper adhered with duct tape because her fat rolls are sumo-like...still healthy. Seriously. Of course I'm exaggeratng but I would think they would be THRILLED that your technically preemie child is thriving! Good job, momma!

This.

[tanyachap]

Obviously I wasn't present at the conversation but your pedi from what you describe sounds UNEDUCATED about BF. First, fat milk comes after she has nursed for some time so feeding her from one breast will make her get a lot of hind milk. Second sudden weight gain at 2 months is normal as there are growth spurts around that time. It is normal for them to gain a lot and then grow in height then level and do it again after some time. Third, restricting feelings at 2 months for a technical preemie is ridiculous. Ridiculous.

[CoffeeCat]

Obviously I wasn't present at the conversation but your pedi from what you describe sounds UNEDUCATED about BF. First, fat milk comes after she has nursed for some time so feeding her from one breast will make her get a lot of hind milk. Second sudden weight gain at 2 months is normal as there are growth spurts around that time. It is normal for them to gain a lot and then grow in height then level and do it again after some time. Third, restricting feelings at 2 months for a technical preemie is ridiculous. Ridiculous.

Yes to everything and esp good point about the 8 wk gs!

[Cosmosmom]

http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/lv/l...gsep06p54.html

[tanyachap]

http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/lv/l...gsep06p54.html

Good article. Lucee, print this article for your pedi and ask the basis for the pedi's concern.

[CoffeeCat]

I'd get a new pedi! I think yours is totally off! My DD was born at around the 50% and quickly rose to around 98% and stayed there until about 18 months old. She had rolls and rolls and rolls. Everyone still laughs about it. She has been close to the same weight now for well over a year and is now back in the 45% for her weight. She was exclusively breastfed and my pedi ALWAYS praised her chunky weight (he even cheered when I asked if it was okay). We saw another pediatriation in the same practice and I asked his opinion- he said that they NEVER get concerned about weight unless it doesn't start leveling out at around 18m. I would not take breastfeeding advice from your pedi. It sounds like she has no idea what she is talking about.

Good job momma!

My dd1 was deemed "overweight" as an exclusively bf 5 month old at one of her WIC appts but when my pedi got a copy of the report, she called them to educate them about exclusively bfing babies and scaring bfing mothers unnecessarily. My dd is now average for her height and age. She thinned out as soon as she started crawling/walking/eating solids.

[Bridget]

New pedi. Stat.

[tanyachap]

Yes, our neighbors' girl had rolls of fat as a baby. She was off the charts for weights and 80%for height. She is now skinny (almost 4 yo).

[Smplyme89]

http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/lv/l...gsep06p54.html

Great article Jennifer!

[Inca]

Seren was 22 lbs at 5 months, over 100% for weight and 95% for height. Our doc was not worried in the slightest. (EBF)

[Mamarazzi]

I agree with the other gals. Your pedi is an idiot, very obviously uneducated about breastfeeding, and breastfed babies.

[raspberry]

drop that pedi now. Your baby is 2 months, she absolutely needs the fatty hind milk. And don't drop a night feeding, bf on demand.

[Suja]

Utterly ridiculous. The pedi is an idiot.

[Smplyme89]

Utterly ridiculous. The pedi is an idiot.

Short and sweet.

[TripMomma]

I have to agree, I think I would be looking for a new Doctor.

[haydensmom]

I'd get a new pedi! I think yours is totally off! My DD was born at around the 50% and quickly rose to around 98% and stayed there until about 18 months old. She had rolls and rolls and rolls. Everyone still laughs about it. She has been close to the same weight now for well over a year and is now back in the 45% for her weight. She was exclusively breastfed and my pedi ALWAYS praised her chunky weight (he even cheered when I asked if it was okay). We saw another pediatriation in the same practice and I asked his opinion- he said that they NEVER get concerned about weight unless it doesn't start leveling out at around 18m. I would not take breastfeeding advice from your pedi. It sounds like she has no idea what she is talking about.

Good job momma!

This!!!

[MomOfAnOnly]

Honestly I've been so disturbed by this post that I haven't even been able to form a rational response for the last 4 hours. If the pedi is that concerned about a 2 months old weight gain, she should be checking for metabolic disorders (or something??) NOT instructing you to restrict feelings Not to be dramatic or anything, but I would not go back to that pedi. Your LO needs a pedi that understands chunky, breastfeeding babies.

[rachoochoo]

Honestly I've been so disturbed by this post that I haven't even been able to form a rational response for the last 4 hours. If the pedi is that concerned about a 2 months old weight gain, she should be checking for metabolic disorders (or something??) NOT instructing you to restrict feelings Not to be dramatic or anything, but I would not go back to that pedi. Your LO needs a pedi that understands chunky, breastfeeding babies.

ITA with this! My youngest dd was close to 14 lbs at her 2 month check up. That is the sign of a healthy baby. I honestly do not think there really is such a thing as an obese newborn/infant. They do so much growing and changing those first few months and if your pediatrician does not get that than I would say that they are in the wrong profession.

[ljs318]

This is just how my girls were and are. My pedi never questioned their weights and continued to praise my healthy, super chunky, BF'd babies! I would definitely get a 2nd opinion and a new pedi! HUGS!

I'd get a second opinion... Both of my girls we REALLY chunky babies, like off the charts chunky... I nursed them both exclusively and the Dr was never concerned, just usually chuckled at how chunky they were. My 2nd was 15lbs 7 oz at her 2 month check up... Now they are almost 3 and 5 and skinny girls, its actually all I can do to find jeans that stay on their tiny little bodies! It almost seemed like they both got to 30lbs really quickly and then hardly gained anything for a few years. My 5 year old is 40 lbs now, and my almost 3 year old is 34 lbs.