HV said DS should see the GP re his weight...?

[questions2008]

i had DS weighed today at 28 weeks old, and he came in at 11kg, which according to the scale in the red book is right at the top, 99.6th percentile. He was born at 40 weeks weighing 3kg so below average, and at 22 weeks had climbed up to the 75th percentile, weighing 8.2kg. he's gone all the way through the percentiles.

I haven't bothered getting him weighed any more than that tbh, because i could see he was happy and feeding well - exclusively breast fed till we started weaning 3 weeks ago, and still on BM plus veg/fruit puree for lunch and baby rice for dinner.

Now I'm not worried about any part of his development in general, but the lady who plotted his weight today (Nursery Nurse) said I should see the GP regarding him going so over his birth weight percentile and possibly getting referred to a dietician. I was a bit shocked at the dietician part, surely not? he's hardly eating anything apart from BM and he does that on demand too, so not sure what help a dietician could be to him, and what the GP could even suggest?? Is she being over-cautious? Maybe she thinks i'm feeding him french fries mashed in with the baby rice or something??

ok this is quite long, but i just wanted a mumsnet second opinion not really sure if i should take her seriously or what?

God they are such twats

Just do it or she'll nag you. take him to the GP, make it clear you have been TOLD to by a dipshit in a uniform, and that you yourself are not remotely concerned with his weight.

Then don't take him to be weighed again unless you think there is a problem.

i wouldn't. someone has to be at the top don't they?

How tall is he? or how tall are you/your DP?
I ask as both my DD's are over the 97th for weight, and I am quite large, so they HV always says something, however, they are both on the 95th for height, so they are just right for their weight with not a spare oz on them (and my GP agrees)

So unless he is rolling with fat (which I doubt) then ignore her, she's ticking boxes.

same thing here, how tall is he?

It sounds like she was giving you the blanket advice that a NN would give - she isn't a qualified nurse and is probably just following a protocol by advising you see the GP, as your DS has deviated beyond 2 percentiles from his birth weight.

It's also entirely possible that she has met mums who do feed their 6 month olds chips and cake! Hence the potential referral to a dietitian.

If your DS is long as well as heavy then I wouldn't be at all concerned, especially as he is BF and eating little. However if his height and weight aren't proportionate then I would think a check by the GP wouldn't hurt.

Oh my dd was born on the 50th, was off the charts for weight a few weeks later. Has stayed there ever since, brief slip down to 99th centile when weaning began and she moved around more but otherwise at 2.7, she's right up there still.

She a tall, fit, slim healthy, active toddler. No hcp ever questioned the weight gain, just said well done and smiled at the happy, thriving baby in front of them.

I guess her concern wasn't his weight so much as that he's gained weight so quickly?

Hi questions - I agree that his height is important

My ds has always been 95+ centile for height and therefore the fact that he is 95+ centile for his weight is good news!

If your ds until recently has been exclusively bf and now with purees of fruit/veg I cant see how there can be a problem

Not that I am an expert!

but it isn't that quickly!

hah you can't overfeed a bf baby - youcan't have stuffed him with that much pureed chocolate biscuits in the last 3 weeks to make that difference to his weight. don't worry about it.

I think a 2 centile change usually triggers a medical review. As in GP has a look at dc and gives you the thumbs up.

I suppose occasionally endocrine issues and other stuff might get highlighted.

Perhaps she was very by the book as she hasn't the 'status' to take autonomous responsibility for her findings, despite being well trained and competent at her task.

my HV told me that my 12 week old exclusively BF DD was 'overweight' as she was on 95th centile. she was born at 41+4 8lb 12oz on 95th centile and stayed there!! she gained her weight steadily and was on 99th for height. she is now 99th for height and weight and i stopped taking her to the HV before she turned 1 with the exception of vaccinations. she s a happy healthy boisterous almost 4 year old.the HV is an idiot IMO

Going from below the 50th centile to above the 99th is quite a big change though isn't it?

yes, i think what worried her was the him going from below 50th to above 99th. but again, as he's been demand-fed EBF, i'm not sure what i could do about it?

He does have some rolls of fat, ie up his arms and thighs, but i just think they are yummy. when ppl hear he's only 6.5months they usually respond with 'he's a big boy', doesn't look overly fat just older/bigger than his months...?

i guess i need to measure his height, they don't do that any more apparently until after a year so don't know what percentile his height is. his dad is tall, 6ft2 but im a shortie, 5ft1.

so do you think GP could check endocrine/hormones out do you think if i took him?

Stick him on the floor with his head against a wall, pull him a bit (without hurting him obviously!) make sure he is lying in a straight line - put a book against his feet - that is his height. Measure that distance and ta da!

Obviously dont actually STICK him to the floor.............

Well, the most likely outcome is they will say that he is in great shape and universally well. Sounds like he will take after Daddy.

He sounds scrumptious.

I guess if the GP wanted reassurance, then a paed would be asked to have a look at him.

Bob him along, then you can forget all about it.

Not sure what a dietician could say to you really. Did the nurse person realise he was breastfed and only part weaned? Maybe she assumes babies are fed deep fried mars bars or something?

hmm good height measuring plan... will do tomorrow, the chubster is asleep

treedelivery yes i did point out to her hes BF and just started weaning, but she insisted his growth was dramatic enough to require following up. last time i was there, different HV, kept asking are you sure you're just BFing him? maybe they think im giving him formula and not wanting to own up or something?

well ill probably do as suggested and take him along to GP and see what she says.

Well, will be interesting. Ask the GP why the interest. Or is it just a plain case of the graph rules and the lines on the graph are king. Always interesting to know what they are thinking.

i dont think it matters what they weigh or what percentile they are on.
get into the habbit of measuring his length and chart it. their length line and weight line should look pretty much the same.

my ds was just under 50th percentile at birth and shot up to 98th at about 20 weeks. although its high he grew in length too and is actually a smidge under weight for his height. im also a shortie at 4.11 but i think hes just gonna be like his dad tall and slim.

take no notice hun. the percentiles are just a guide (there has to be 1) as long as you think hes fine and hes following both lines steadily then relax.

thats the sort of thing that used to make me go wild. think i might be inclined to speak to an actual hv and make sure they train and monitor their poxy staff!!!!!! grrrrrr!!!!

Im a nursery nurse and was told by a fellow nursery nurse at baby clinic ds needed to see the Dr because of this bloody centile thing ......I was a bit but went in to the GP anyway only to be laughed at and told how ridiculous it was (im a stickler for good weaning and had helped the HV demonstrate good weaning'practice' at a group).

This is why I secretly thing we should all stick to our own job descriptions....and as a NNEB I would never try to do a health visitors job.

Dont worry.

My ebf ds moved 2 percentiles (although down, not up) and it turns out he did have quite serious medical problems which only came to light because of his weight change. Its all to easy to slag of HVs and say they don't know what they are talking about and baby clinics are a waste of time but the 2 percentile guideline is there for a reason. Most babies who move percentiles are fine, some like my ds aren't. Its best to over investigate than under investigate imo.

sorry to hear your ds has not been too well. i dont think clinics are a waste of time, particually early days its not just about weight is it you're there to build on your confidence too and get advice. most hv in my own experience have been brilliant (although iv heard alot of bad things) i think that if you're not qualified to give advie then dont give it or get someone that is to give it.they could do with being alittle more sensitive to mums especially first time mums. i'm sure it cant be easy they have little time but hurrying you along the production line is not very comforting.
questions i hope you were treated better than this. if their advice has planted a seed in your head and now you are a liitle worried take ds to gp cant hurt can it!!!?

This is why I stopped getting the dc's weighed dd was born early and was 8lb4 on the 90th by 10 months she was on the 2nd percentile. The health visitors treated dd like she was being neglected telling us that this was very serious and referd us to the gp.... Who looked at dd running around playing & laughing with ds and he said 'I really can't see why the HV has sent you here she is clearly in proportion and is very happy'.... Then told us to just not bother going to the HV to get her weighed any more.