Being referred to a doctor because my exclusively bf dd is gaining too much weight.

[Quicksilver]

Hi. I have posted about this before, but after my last visit to my HV I am getting more worried.
My dd is 16 weeks old and exclusively bf. She now weighs 16lb 15oz which is on the 98th centile on the growth charts. She was only 7lb 6oz when born so has jumped up the centiles quite quickly.
The HV has now said as she is only on the 75th centile for height there is a 2.5 'line' difference between her height and weight and if it gets to 3 we have to be referred as 'something else might be going on' (her words)

What else could be going on? I didn't think it was possible to over feed a bf baby.

Any experience would be gratefully received!

[cmotdibbler]

I just wouldn't get her weighed again personally - she's obviously doing fabulously on your milk.

You can't overfeed a bfed baby, and what could they do ? Put her on a diet ?

My DS was born on the 75th centile, and went up to the 99.8th centile for a long time. Now he's 2 and running round like a mad thing he's back to the 75th. No suggestion of any problem from the HV (but he was weighed very irregularly as I couldn't be doing with it)

[whomovedmychocolate]

Oh tell her to sod off. You don't have to take the referral. My DD was born on the 50th percentile and jumped to the 98th by 4 months old and yep, for a few months she was kinda padded but once they start moving around it just goes almost instantly.

You can't overdo the breastmilk. You are doing great. She's a numpty who doesn't understand that the stated norms are just that - 2% of babies ARE above 98% after all.

[LuckySalem]

My HV told me to stop feeding DD as much (cut back a feed was what I was told) I honestly don't know if there could be something else up. (google it?) but I don't think its the correct advice.

[CarGirl]

IME of having large babies/tall children they ofter get really heavy until the start moving and then they even out.

Please try not to worry and stop getting her weighed. Also height measurements are not accurate until they can stand unsupported. The difference of 0.5 cm in height would put her up/down a centile etc.

[whomovedmychocolate]

LuckySalem - so in order to support your breastfeeding efforts, your HV is telling you to stop demand feeding and starve your child . How sensible .

It annoys me that babies are so measured these days, they are all different. My family weigh a lot but don't look like they do. People are always amazed when they pick up DD, she's normal sized but weighs ten pounds more than average. I do too. My GP has spent many years telling me I am too heavy, in my size 8 jeans.

[sweetkitty]

This is why by the time I had the second one I never had her weighed.

[welshdeb]

My bf ds was on the 50th percentile when born and went up to 98 by about 6 weeks as he was putting on about a pound a week My other 2 dc followed a similar pattern too, but he was a slightly bigger baby.

He was well padded as an other poster said but as soon as he started being mobile he slimmed down.

I think I have read that the growth charts are for formula fed babies so confuse the professionals if not familiar with bf babies.

[girlandboy]

Don't believe everything your HV says. I had the opposite problem. My dd was 7lb 6oz as well, but then went the other way. She dropped down to the very bottom of the chart, and the HV kept incessantly weighing her. She was solely bf, and the HV kept telling me to top her up with formula. I didn't. She then kept sending me to the GP, who would prod the baby, and then say "Oh she's alright, nothing wrong". After a year of this, the HV said that she must be just one of those really light babies. I could have screamed at her.
When I had my ds, I didn't bother going to the HV at all. I just trusted my own judgement, and anyway, he was off the other end of the scale! Massive!
They are still the same - dd is nearly 13 and doesn't quite yet weigh 5 stone. Ds is 8 and he weighs the same!! All children are different.

[whomovedmychocolate]

They use a different growth chart for breastfed babies now welshdeb. But it's still a pretty pointless device - unless you are below the 20th centile - in which case obviously then it can be an issue.

[ConnorTraceptive]

My ds is 13 weeks and already 20lbs, no health proffessional has ever shown any concern about it.

TBH I'm more concerned at the rate in which his hair is growing, especially as it's continuing in an upward style

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

DD was always on the 98th centile for at least 18 months.

She's still quite tall, but one of the slimmest girls in her class. I'm sure folk think I dont feed her!

[Quicksilver]

I have googled overweight babies ( as if there was such a thing!!!) and I can't find any medical condition.
She is completely alert and full of smiles all day. She even sleeps reasonably well at night with only 1 sometimes 2 night feeds.

I think I will take the referal just in case there is something else. God knows what though!

[FrannyandZooey]

yes similar to TMMJ my ds was roughly 18 lb at 16 weeks
16 lb 5 at 12 weeks

he is now on the lean side, really
obviously if you have concerns then follow this up
but it sounds so hugely normal to me

[LuckySalem]

whomovedmychocolate - I was having huge problems bfing DD (alot of it due to no connection with her) but she was happy enough however, when she jumped up 2 lines at one weigh in they told me to cut down a feed.

Stupidly I did - DD screamed at me when she was meant to be fed then at the next one wouldn't latch, screamed some more and then after nearly 2 hours of screaming I gave up and got DP to get formula and we failed from then on really. Although she did still get some BF till about 4 months

[tori32]

I think she is being ridiculous. My baby is approx 15lbs at 11wks (although she started on the 98th centile) All babies go through being too fat for height and then underweight for height due to growth spurts. They may slow down in growth and still feed the same, then you get another growth spurt and the weight is proportionate again. She isn't massive. I would only worry if she goes above all the lines iyswim.

[bigmouthstrikesagain]

I was referred to the GP by my health visitor when my dd was around 12m as she was 98%ile height and completely off the charts for weight. There was no denying she was a big girl but there was nothing wrong with her - the GP laughed when I saw him and said that he would only be concerned if she had a huge head or something? She weighed 17.1lbs at 17 weeks.

Dd was exclusively bf till 6m then solids were intro along with bf - now she weighs around 16kg at 2yo and is healthy, active and well proportioned.

[theSuburbanDryad]

Ignore the charts. Ignore your hv. Weight charts can be a useful tool to spot if something's going wrong or if a baby is losing weight too quickly - but you can't overfeed a bf baby! I bet your lo is lovely and chubby and the sleep sounds divine!

my ds was born on a low centile, and leapt up through the charts but because he never went above the 50th the hv never picked up on it! My friend's ds - on the other hand - was on the 98th centile until he started moving around! (He was gorgeous, like a little Buddha!)

It's obviously entirely up to you, but if you do take the referral and go along to see the doctor, bear in mind the advice on this thread!

[Quicksilver]

I feel very reassured from your replies.

Thesuburbandryad - a little Buddha could describe my dd exactly - she is gorgeous (if I do say so myself).

[hotcrossbunny]

My dd did fantastically well on breast milk. So much so I was accused of supplying 'gold top' She was gorgeous and chubby and now at 4 is like a bean pole, with lovely long legs. Fortunately no-one got worried when she went off the top of the chart for a bit. Try not to worry, but go to the referral if you think it will reassure you.

[minster]

HV is talking rubbish - ds was born on the 10th centile, by 6 months he was on the 75th & at a year the 98th where he has remained ever since. DD wasn't quite so spectacular - born on the 50th, 98th by 6 months. My milk is more efficient than my placentas

You can't overfeed a breastfed baby

[asicsgirl]

agree with all posts saying ignore it. my hv was round this morning - she is that rare thing, a well-informed hv - and we had this convo about (bf) ds2 who was just below 50th centile at birth, put on 7.5 oz in the first 5 days and is now at 90th centile at 4 wks!

she said relationship between birth weight/ size and size baby will be as an adult (iyswim) is not straightforward. baby may remain smallish in women who are 'built' small to facilitate labour, but then put on loads later as they are 'meant' to be big eventually.

my brother is 6'7" and built like the proverbial so i am guessing this is where ds2 is heading

[whomovedmychocolate]

Luckysalem I'm so sorry you had to listen to that advice and it compromised your breastfeeding. That's so sad and makes me really angry on your behalf. But you did your best and of course if someone tells you that you are harming your child you follow their advice to stop doing so. Hopefully mums on her though will learn to treat such advice with the contempt it deserves.

[freakypenguin]

ignore her she is talking rubbish.

my ds is big and well padded at the mo - 4 months, but i am not bothered. he is totally bfed too.

in my heath authority they have stopped measuring heights of infants to compare with weight anyway as they say it wasn't helpful., head circumference in relation to weight is apparently more accurate, if you're bothered.

and extremely well done for fabulous breastfeeding.

[Pollyanna]

I would ignore her i think.

at ds2's 6 week check my dr told me to stop feeding him on demand as he is a greedy bastard - he is also on the 98th percentile.