Really big babies - please come and tell me about yours.

[merryberry]

Our second boy, 17 days old, 10 days overdue and weighing 11lbs 11oz at birth and 60cm long, is freaking us out a bit with his ability to move ike a bigger, older baby. Is this what they do at this size? I mean its a nice change from our passive wee munchkin first time round, but its just spooky sometimes.

So far he has, and I'm not boasting, I'm looking for reassurance please: smiled deliberately at 3 different people a couple of dozen times, rolled over on his side, stamped his feet in his pooey nappy and jacknifed himself back and along a few inches in fury at nappy change, and almost routinely lifts his head up off my shoulder and holds it up for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes to look at random thing of choice.

DS was born 11 lb and 4 oz. He was quite similar. He was crawling by 6 months and walking by 10 months. Just to warn you! I now quite often get asked why he isn't in school (on school days) when we are out in town. This has been happening since he was 3.

My boy was only 8lbs 10 at birth but b 6 weeks he was 14 lbs. He seemed to be really mobile too, used to roll on his side from day 1 and could hold his head up for ages after about a week. Think bigger babies are just stronger at first maybe as their size gives them more power.

blimey cece! and what were you feeding him meandmyjoe

OK, so it is one of those big baby things...many thanks!

def a big baby thing, all mine have been 9lb + and ds4 was ten pounds, thirteen ounces and he is already at two weeks old smiling a bit and trying to roll over, he also has fantastic head control and cranes his neck trying to look around when i have him leaning on my shoulder.

the midwife said yesterday you would think he was 2mths old, not 2 weeks

and they have had a nightmare getting blood for his heel prick test as he is so strong he keeps kicking and pulling his legs away when they are trying to get it, we have to take him to scbu next week so that they can take it there, the midwives have tried and failed three times

I agree, its definitely a big baby, further development thing but also I think you actually NOTICE stuff more second time round.

I don't necessarily agree with you. DD1 was only 8lb 4oz when born and she was doing all the things you say aswell. Holding her head up for at least 1 minute on day 1, rolling over by 10 weeks and walking and speaking at 10 months. However, somewhere along the line she did move up the percentiles to the 98th. DD2 was bigger at 8lb 10 oz but has been a lot slower at doing things although she has now gone down the percentiles to the 25th so maybe there's something in it.

My nephew was 11lb 2oz and I'm not sure was that advanced early on. I know sil always said people used to think he was rather delayed as they didn't realise how young he was. He went on to be enormously bright - place at Cambridge etc etc, so don't get worried if you read this & have a big baby who doesn't do things early.

All three of mine were average at birth 8lb 4/11 then piled on the weight. DS1 was the smallest and super strong from the beginning, walking by 7 months DS2 by contrast is the biggest and now at 10 months is 25lbs but the last of the three to walk. Sooooo I guess each child is different, big or small, fast to walk or talk, they all catch up in the end

DS was 12lb 12oz. He held his head up from birth. Smiled at 21 days. He sat up unaided at 21 weeks. He could push himself up on his arms (when on tummy) v early on, but can't remember when exactly. However he crawled at just over 9 months and walked at 13 months (I think that's fairly average?). Oh and I don't think he rolled until after crawling. It's been a nightmare with things such as car seats, clothes, people's expectations of him etc, but I wouldn't change him!

He's still a tall, muscular lad at nearly 22 months - just under 1m tall and a size 7 shoe. He's extremely strong and active and looks like he's at least 3.5! He can do some things his contemporaries can't but he has a height and strength advantage (e.g. climbing things at soft play) but I wouldn't say he was advanced developmentally as his dexterity etc is the same as his peers.

thank you all, very interesting x

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Lol, just breastmilk at first! He just grew so quick and is now 7 months and 78cm tall and 23lbs so he's a big chappy! Gorgeous though, love big babies!

my dd is 21 months now, was doing all of those things from approx same time time as your lot, was 5lb 4oz at birth and 3 weeks early. I think she has a strong personality and is very confident, i don't think it's got a great deal to do with anything other than personality!

Hi Merry, congratulations on your baby boy! DS was also big, the first thing the delivering midwife said when he popped out was "bloody hell what a whopper"! She reckoned he looked like a 2 month old at birth and at 10 months he's in 18mth clothes. Like your DS he had good head control from birth and rolled and sat way before his peers, he's physically very strong and lots of Mums with kids the same age have commented on this, so much so that I did feel like he was a bit of a freak when he was smaller! Don't worry about your DS, he sounds like a healthy happy boy to me!

if it's personality plus size then we're in trouble

it seems one msg coming through loud and clear is that these big babies stand out a bit from the crowd. i told dp about the 'why isn't he in school' story...

thank you all again. xx

I have a to add that my 2nd son was 10 lb 8 oz at birth and had fab muscle tone, holding his head up for a few seconds an hour after birth.

he is now a 6 ft 14 yr old with size 11 feet, and broad shoulders, I use him to do all my heavy lifting!!