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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Advice please - My Little'un is a big'un!

33 replies

smoggii · 01/05/2011 13:16

My DD is nearly 17 weeks and she's gorgeous and huge! She was on the 91st centile when she was born, lost weight after her birth (I tried to BF but was too ill and it didn't work - formula fed from 5 days old) and at her 16 week weigh in was 19.5lbs putting her on the top of the 99.6 line.

Up to now the two HVs i've seen have said - not a problem she's healthy and developing well so don't worry just feed her when she's asking for it she will regulate it herself when she starts moving, the HV I saw at this visit said - 'be honest - what might you be doing to create this situation' I was mortified because i've been doing everything I've been told to do and i've been completely honest. I'm feeding her when she's hungry letting her decide when to stop, and she does stop when she's had enough - I can't count the amount of formula that's gone down the drain.

She has fallen into a routine which the HV made me write down then told me to try and drop 3 oz (90ml) per day and force her to drink water instead.

We are on day 4 of this now and my previously contented baby has been grumpy and crying all the time.

I measured her length this morning and she is very long (nearly 70cm putting her above the 99.6 line - me and DH both tall) and I'm wondering whether the HV should have taken this into account before telling me to drop her food?

I've read the red book and that says babies over the top line are usually healthy and they would only consider a baby overweight if it was over the top line when over 12 months.

I guess i am just wondering whether i should just carry on doing what i was doing and have a happy big baby or should do as i was told by the HV and drop some food. If anyone has had a similar experience i would be greatful for your wisdom.

OP posts:

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Octaviapink · 01/05/2011 13:22

Can you get another opinion? Perhaps see your GP?

fartingfran · 01/05/2011 13:22

No experience but from what you've written common sense tells me to do what you were doing and ignore your HV.

In fact, no, go back and ask her

What "situation"?

and

What evidence can she refer you to to support her suggestion that there's a problem? References please

Enilorac2010 · 01/05/2011 13:38

I totally understand why you are worried but think you should just ignore the HV! My 5.5 month old DS is very big too but he is in proportion - 98th percentile for both height and weight (having gone up from the 91st). After weighing him at the 4 month check up, my HV started trying to tell me to water down his feeds (!) because he had crossed a percentile line but then measured his height and realised he was in proportion and said "Just carry on what you have been doing"!

It sounds like your DD is in proportion so I would just ignore her and don't worry about it. Babies shouldn't be on diets Just quote the red book back to her if she gets funny about it.

ilovedjasondonovan · 01/05/2011 13:41

My DD2 was a big un as well. 91% for height and about 8lb15 when born. not that big, but boy did she grow. By 5 months she was 20lb and into the next car seat (didn't fit in the baby seat any more. And she kept on growing and growing like the hungry catterpillar. Soon she was off the chart for weight, by about 1 inch by the time she was 1. My HV was really good though and just laughed it off saying her boy was the same. Now he's all grown up and is so skinny he can't get clothes to fit him.
She was 2 stone the day before she was 1 and in age 4-5 tops and 5-6 trousers.

But, then she started crawling. And in the next year only put on a 1lb!! Started thinning out and although larger than other toddlers she was shrinking down lovely. She will now be 3 in a months time and weighs 2.5 stone. So not much more has been put on. She's in age 3-4 tops (will be in age 4-5 by autumn) and trousers are 4-5. But this isn't because she's particularly fat any more, just has a large bum and smaller trousers don't fit over her.

Please don't worry, they do get really fat and then they WILL slim out when they start moving around. Stretchy cropped leggings as trousers will be your saviour. They are cropped for the age they are meant to be worn, but when your 1yr old is wearing 3-4 trousers they fit all the leg just fine.

PLEASE DON'T WORRY!!!!

BornToYolk · 01/05/2011 13:47

I wouldn't like to say ignore your HV but I think you definitely need to go back to her and tell her how your DD has been since you've been restricting her feeds and why you are not happy about it, and what would she suggest you do now? Then it's up to you whether you follow that advice or not.

My DS was a huge baby. Born on the 50% centile but was between 50% and 75% until weaning (formula fed, weaned at 6 months) when he shot up to 98th centile! I'm pretty sure he was off the charts when he was 1. No HV ever told me to restrict his feeds. They did ask what I fed him and I told them and they said to carry on and his weight would most likely balance out when he started moving, which it did. He's now a solid, very strong and active 3 year old.

RitaMorgan · 01/05/2011 13:49

I wouldn't put a 17 week old baby on a diet, and I wouldn't give her water. That sounds crazy to me.

bigTillyMint · 01/05/2011 13:52

My BF's son was big when he was born (91st centiles at least) and got enormous as a foddler - the Michelin Man looked skinny next to him!

He is now nearly 11 and is the same tall rangy (broad but v slim) build as his father. His father was the same as a baby.

Do what you think is right - those centile charts are a load of rubbish!

FunnyBumbleBee · 01/05/2011 13:54

My baby is exactly the same as yours and my HV measured her length and said it was fine as she is in proportion. Feed her and don't go to get her weighed anymore! You can probably do it on the bathroom scales by now if you want to know, that's what I do!

ChunkyPickle · 01/05/2011 13:57

My baby's vaccination record includes a weight for height graph (as well as the normal weight and height for age) and at that weight and height your LO is on the 75% percentile line which sounds just about perfect to me.

No-one wants a grumpy baby, and she's only 17 weeks, I'd probably ignore the advice and see where you're at once she starts roving around the house..

Original poster

smoggii · 01/05/2011 13:58

Thank you all so much for taking the time to answer me.

I am going to be mindful of what the HV said but i'm going to go back to doing what I was doing but record it all and discuss with HV again at the next weigh in at 18 weeks.

I am a first time mum and there is so much advice out there it is difficult to know what advice to listen to.

OP posts:

Original poster

smoggii · 01/05/2011 14:00

And ChunkyPickle thanks for that info re. the height/weight ratio, i did wonder if there was something like that which (given her length) might show a different story.

OP posts:

RitaMorgan · 01/05/2011 14:17

It sounds like you're getting her weighed very frequently - you know they're supposed to be weighed once a month at most, and if no problems they don't need to be weighed that often. Your baby sounds happy and healthy so I wouldn't bother going.

ChunkyPickle · 01/05/2011 14:22

Ha, speaking of weight and height charts being rubbish - it turns out there's two of them stapled into the little book, and the second one puts your LO at only just over the 50% line (and 98th for weight, and off the chart for height)

Nice to see they're making decisions on consistent data :S ....

naturalbaby · 01/05/2011 14:23

there's a big growth spurt due around 4months. my boys were a nightmare and fed all the time, day and night, for weeks. to tell a mum to water down feeds or offer water at this age seems like madness. give yourself and baby a break and avoid the weigh in clinics for a bit then see how things are. ds2 went slightly the other way and i was told to start baby rice at 17weeks. i avoided them for a month, didn't get any baby rice and they were happy with his weight the next time i got him weighed. i didn't even get cross examined on what/how i had been feeding him.

Chundle · 01/05/2011 15:10

Both my dds been on 95th centile for weight and only 50th for height. They were prem a well but I chubbied them up nicely :) my 7 year old dd is now skinny as a rake and just below 50th for weight. I didn't worry at all about their weights when they were little better a chubby baby than a skinny one. Sometimes HV don't know it all x

Firawla · 01/05/2011 15:13

yes your HV should have taken into account her length, for some reason it seems some of them "forget" to consider this before start talking about oh they are too big reduce feeds etc. I had it with both of mine, but after reminding them to check their length and it came up on high percentiles like the weight then they never said anything after that
As she is in proportion I wouldn't worry too much

Mahraih · 01/05/2011 15:35

Your HV is being a silly moo IMHO.

If your DD is in proportion (weight/height) then what is the problem? My DS is 11 weeks and huge - 13.3 lbs at 8 weeks. But he is also very long, and the HV was pleased with his growth :)

Take DD back, ask them to check her height vs weight.

TheVisitor · 01/05/2011 15:39

I'd ignore the HV and go with your instincts. Babies are rather good at self regulating food.

Tgger · 01/05/2011 21:16

Yes, ignore the HV and go by your instincts. Your baby sounds big and healthy .

I've known quite a few exclusively BF babies (who you can't overfeed) the same size. They slim out as pp have said as they start moving.

I've got one big one who was and is about a year ahead of himself (he's tall and slim at 4.5 and as big as quite a few 6 year olds) and one dinky daughter who at 2.5 weighs 26 pounds and is about average height. They look quite funny together, but perhaps in years to come they will even out- kids have spurts at different times.

PDR · 01/05/2011 21:42

IGNORE the HV and carry on what you were doing. My DS1 was big until he started to move and my best friend's DD the same. I currently have DS2 who is exclusively BF (so they say cannot be overfed) and he is bigger than DS1 at this age!

TheVisitor · 02/05/2011 12:30

Actually, my big brother was 30lbs at 6 months old. He took ages to get moving as he was so chubby. Breast fed, and he grew to be a skinny kid.

Pussinflatboots · 02/05/2011 18:41

DD is 11+3, also on 91st at birth (and now), and FF. Sometimes she guzles 180ml, other times she has about 60ml. DH and I both taller than average, and she's really long too (about to move from pram to pushchair for her comfort!).
ANYWAY, same concerns as you, but would also ignore HV.

Pussinflatboots · 02/05/2011 18:42

*guzzles

bessie26 · 02/05/2011 21:06

Ignore the HV! Go see one of the other ones if it will help put your mind at rest.

Original poster

smoggii · 02/05/2011 21:32

Thanks all, I am now happily ignoring the HV and she has been much happier today.

OP posts:

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