EBF DS on 99.6 centile.

[Celia76]

DS3 has been gaining pretty much 1lb a week since birth.

Birth weight was 8lbs 15 (39 weeks gestation), and weight today at 10+ weeks was 17.7lbs.

Like a lot of us I really struggled with the breastfeeding! It was a painful battle but we got there.

At his weigh in today the health visitor said that if he goes above the centile chart (which he will do if he continues to gain 1lb a week) my GP may well do some bloods for thyroid function etc.

Of note is that his head is on the same centile, and his Dad weighed similar as a baby (also EBF).

He goes 5-6 hours between feeds overnight, and mostly 2 hours during the day (although sometimes more often), and I think he does spit up what he doesn't want if he overfeeds.

I guess I'd like reassurance that this is 'normal'? Are there any endocrine that could cause this?

Thanks!

..'endocrine conditions' I meant to type!

I can see that if his weight and height went above the centiles and kept climbing that it would prompt a referral. That is what the centile charts are for - to define the range of normal (ie, if they are on the chart, thats normal - rapidly moving across it tends not to be).

But my ds spent the time that anyone measured him, on the 99.8th line. At just under 5, he is tall and not fat in anyway at all. Before he started walking he was chubby, but since then he has moved everywhere at high speed and lost it all

He is (most likely) perfectly normal.

I have seen very many bf babies put a lot of weight on in the first three months, sometimes even tripling their birth weight. And it sounds as though your ds is in proportion if his head is on the same centile line.

Have you told them his father was also a big baby?

He won't continue like this forever, his weight gain will even out at some point.

It's a shame the HV is worrying you, rather then reassuring you and telling you well done for successfully bfing.

Just to let you know you are not alone my ds was 9lbs 14.5oz at birth he is now 17 weeks and weighs 22lbs 3oz is off the chart for both his weight and lengh he has been ebf since birth my HV doesnt seem worried at all, and he has had his 4 month check today by the nurse and she said it is fine too.

Just looked in red book and my ds weighed 18lbs at 9 weeks so similar to yours, i have been a bit worried about weight gain myself but no health profesionals seem worried i have not 'googled' conditions as that would just worry me more. Just think he was meant to be big and will even out in the end.

Thanks for the quick and reassuring responses!

CMOTdibbler - I guess I want to know what exactly a GP would check for if he's crossing centiles? Couldn't resist Googling it and I just can't find anything! Apparently not even hypothyroid causes weight gain until toddler age. There's
a lot of info on babies dropping centiles though.

Websticks - thank you for posting. Wish I had your HV!

This is DS3. Two older brothers were on 75th & 98th centiles but were FF from 2 weeks.

Sorry meant to say HV did say i should get his weight checked every 4 weeks but that it was not an issue until he is 12 months and if still high then it would be a slight concern.

DD was born on the 50th centile, put on at least 1 lb a week and was off the charts for height and weight very quickly indeed. She remained just over the top of the charts for the first year and has slowly settled to the 91st centile for height and weight. She's 4 and tall, lean and very strong.

HV was never concerned at all but she did find her natural line (off the chart) and settle on it. In fact my hv was wonderfully encouraging about the 2 hourly feeding until 7 months.

My neice was on 110th centile for height/weight for ages (exclusively breast fed for 6 months). She is now tall and thin and perfectly healthy.

I'm tempted to just keep an eye on his weight at home, I just don't like those heaving HV weigh-in clinics. I'm sure (well I hope) things will stabilize when he gets mobile & active.

DS was 50th centile at 6 weeks, 98th centile by 3 months and is still cruising along the 98th centile at 16 months. His height and head circumference are 98th/99th centile too.

I think where they are on the charts does change in the first few months as they 'catch up' or 'catch down'. BF babies tend to gain weight faster at first, then plateau around 9 months, whereas FF babies tend to gain slower at first but keep gaining when BF babies slow down.

You are under no obligation to have him weighed.