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Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Infant feeding

HV talking shite?

21 replies

Queenkong · 07/09/2011 12:48

Just had my 12wo EBF son weighed. He is 15.12 and has now crossed into the 91st centile (was on the 50th at birth). He consistently puts on between 11-14 oz a week. HV pulled a worried face and told me to 'keep an eye on his weight' and to stop feeding him as often. She advised me to try and distract him when he wants food, to space out his feeds more. I have been feeding on demand (just like she bloody told me to) and he eats every 2-3hrs, sometimes (a bit) longer at night. HV hasn't measured his length - I tried to at home but wasn't very exact. Think he is in or around 91st centile for length too. So now im worried I'm over feeding the little chubster. Should I be or is HV just giving the standard response to the fact he crossed 2 centile lines?

OP posts:

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tiktok · 07/09/2011 12:55

This is odd advice - there would normally be no concern whatsoever about an excl bf baby gaining weight according to this pattern. It might make sense for an HV to ask about feeding to make sure you were not doing something like giving your 12-week-old inappropriate foods in addition to his breastmilk, but given that isn't the case, then there's normally no reason at all to suggest a mother restricts a baby's intake by deiberately reducing his feeding frequency.

Can you maybe tell the HV how worried this has made you feel, and ask for more discussion about it?

JiltedJohnsJulie · 07/09/2011 12:56

Short answer is yes, she is talking shite .

Just keep doing what you think is right. You've done a great job so far and from what you've said he is in proportion.

If she mentions it again, smile, nod politely and at the end ask her nicely for the evidence regarding overfeeding ebf babies. In the meantime have a read of this.

ThatsNotMyBabyBelly · 07/09/2011 12:56

Utter rubbish as far as I am concerned. He is hungry and so is feeding. I don't know about you but I could not space out either of mine's feeds without ear splitting crying.

I have 2 DD's, both bf'd initially then ff'd. DD1 started on 50th percentile and has gone up to between 91st and 98th for weight and height. She is in proportion and a healthy lanky looking thing.

DD2 was born 75th and is now 91st at 12 weeks.

In both instances the HV's have been pleased with their progress. I am of the opinion you cannot overfeed a baby, they just vomit if they take too much. I thought it was supposed to be impossible to overfeed a breastfeeding baby anyway?

I'd continue you as you are, but then I am a big advocate of feeding on demand anyway.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 07/09/2011 12:57

x-posted with tiktok.

Queenkong · 07/09/2011 13:06

Thank you for such quick responses, I suspected as much. He doesn't look out of proportion at all so was quite surprised when she was concerned. She has actually referred me to a bf group for specialist advice on this. I predict they'll echo your posts. When that happens I'll return to the HV and point out what rubbish she is spouting and how it added pointless stress to a FTM who could quite frankly do without it! Ta!

OP posts:

ThePluralOfAnecdoteIsNotData · 07/09/2011 13:11

Ignore and then ignore some more. I have bf 3 kids on demand and they have all followed their own line which is pretty steep crashing upwards from the 9th to 91st centile but is identical for each DC (you can lay the graph things on top of each other). My eldest is now in school and is an ideal weight for his height, as measured by school nurse, but they were all very chubby as babies.

When we had the elder two we lived in one health authority and the HV there made positive comments about my 'gold top milk' and wanted me to go to their breastfeeding group to support other Mums. With my youngest we had moved house and the new HV did what yours has done but also suggested I introduce a bottle so I could give her some water between feeds - Chuff that! I smiled and nodded and let her go on her way.

It sounds like you are doing an excellent job and your little one is thriving. Don't try to cut back or string him out between feeds - he will be unnecessarily upset and you risk engorgement and mastitis.

Keep up the good work :)

shuckleberryfinn · 07/09/2011 13:25

I say stop weighing him. Solves a lot of problems that way. :)

JiltedJohnsJulie · 07/09/2011 14:02

Agree with shuckle, I decided pretty quickly that getting LO weighed was optional and my HV wasn't exactly informed on bfing.

She did have enough sense to send me to the local bfing group though, but not to help me sort a perceived problem, as yours seems to be suggesting, more for an excuse to get out and have a cuppa and a chat.

Queenkong · 07/09/2011 14:14

Starting to agree that weighing him is a bad idea. It's a shame because I was really enjoying it, seeing him pile on the weight gave me confidence that I was feeding him right. But it's hard to go without having to speak to the HV, who just seems to make me feel a bit crap.

OP posts:

JiltedJohnsJulie · 07/09/2011 14:35

Take some lovely photos of his chubbiness instead and then you can look at him for months to come and think "that was down to me" .

EauRouge · 07/09/2011 14:46

Oh dear, why on earth should an EBF baby be put on a diet? :( Try not to let it knock your confidence, it sounds like you're doing really well.

Don't be afraid to ask the HV for evidence. You don't have to be confrontational, just a breezy 'wow, that's interesting, have you got anything I can read about that?' should do it.

eaglewings · 07/09/2011 14:51

Congratulations, sounds like the 2 of you have worked out a great bring relationship.
Charts are there to scare mothers into thinking they are doing something wrong. I'd say forget weighing unless YOU think there is a problem. Will get flamed but hey ho

Cleverything · 07/09/2011 14:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

kellieb7 · 07/09/2011 14:57

OP, I really feel for you because I had a similar thing with DD, she was born at 34 weeks and weighed 6lb 6oz and on the 9th percentile thingy, when we got breastfeeding sorted (after a slow start), she piled on the pounds and is now on the 91st. When she started going over lines the HV gave me similar advice and I got quite about it but I have now decided that I know my DD best and her weight is completely in proportion with her height and she is now very mobile so it obviously isn't affecting this. I havent being to clinic for a while as DD now eats solids as well as still breastfeeding like a trooper so she is probably off the bloody chart thing, I wish someone had explained the chart to DD and then maybe she would know she needs to follow lines

Booboostoo · 07/09/2011 15:27

My DD who is also EBF is in the 97 percentile at 13wks and no health professional has remarked negatively about it. I don't think babies of that age can be overweight. I would ignore her.

shuckleberryfinn · 07/09/2011 15:44

I asked my HV for evidence when she demanded I supplemented with formula instead of expressed breast milk. Oddly enough I've not seen her since. Bonus eh?

HereIGo · 07/09/2011 15:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 07/09/2011 19:24

Only just spotted your name Queenkong that is, what I call, brilliant

AliGrylls · 07/09/2011 19:32

Definitely talking shite. BF babies gain weight until they find the right centile which they are then in theory meant to plot. I imagine your baby is long as well. All babies are meant to look a bit chubby anyway - DS2 is a chubby breastfed baby. I actually feel like HVs should not offer advice on nutrition and feeding - it is something that most of them know so little about.

Queenkong · 07/09/2011 20:05

Thanks Julie. Such fun!

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buttonmoon78 · 07/09/2011 20:07

Sounds like you're producing jersey gold top . And yes, I'm jealous - I've never been much cop at bf and have just stopped feeding for the last time when ds was 7wks

However, if he's on a roughly equal centile for both height and weight then what's the problem? He's perfectly proportioned!

Ignore your HV. Enjoy your chubby buster. And feel proud that it's all down to you.

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