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Infant feeding

Very big baby

6 replies

Judd · 15/07/2004 20:04

Hi, I wonder if anybody could help me please? My DS was born 9 weeks ago, weighing just over 11lb. I breastfed for a week and then transferred him onto bottles. I've been calculating his feeds as instructed by the HV - 2.5oz of formula for each pound of body weight and he has been happy with that. I've gradually switched over to hungrier baby formula as he started to get twitchy during the day.
Now, however, he weighs 17lb - the weight has just kept going on even though I have been really careful not to overfeed him. So what happens? Will he be happy with smaller (ie. 8oz) feeds than the maths say he should be?
I'm getting in a tizzy worrying about early weaning...or could he just carry on being OK with his feeds for a while yet if I just offer 8oz bottles each feed?
Has anyone else been in a similar situation?

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Yorkiegirl · 15/07/2004 20:07

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mummytosteven · 15/07/2004 20:09

I have not been in a similar situation, but would say not to worry about him putting on weight, and not to go under the 2.5 oz of formula per pound unless instructed to by a medically qualified person. Given that he is a big lad you probably will end up weaning him sooner rather than later. Given that he started off at 11b, 17lb at nine weeks sounds quite reasonable to me!

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SoupDragon · 15/07/2004 20:10

Are you or your partner particularly tall/large? Is your DS's weight in girth or length or in proportion? (mine were all girth!)

You could try him with smaller feeds - I believe that bottle feeding is easier so a baby might continue even when they've had enough. IMO it's way too early for weaning. Whta does your health visitor say? Has his weight kept to the percentile curve that his birth weight was on?

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aloha · 15/07/2004 21:06

It's far, far too early to wean. Is he happy? Does he always drain bottles? I'm sure he's fine, if he's large, he'll be heavy, it stands to reason. My friend's huge son was breastfed until six months (no solids at all) and was fine on that. And big babies have lifelong advantages in terms of health.

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islandgirl · 15/07/2004 21:16

My ds2 was 10lb and drank nothing but milk until 5 months old. I think by then he was on 4 bottles of 8oz normal formula per day. At that stage he was on the 98th centile, but now at nearly 2 he is average! Don't worry, and it is is far too early to wean.

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Judd · 15/07/2004 21:44

Thank you ever so much - very reassuring indeed. I know it is too early to wean, I was just scared of it all spiralling out of control....
DH is about 6 ft, I am just over 5ft! Must have been a large dose of genes from his side I think. DS is long rather than chunky but he is following his percentile (98th of course!) Weird thing is that I had a diabetic pregnancy with DD 2.5 years ago and she was just under 9lb. I got the all clear with DS but he was so much heavier. Does make me wonder if I got a skewed result....