"You don't want an obese baby"!

[HannahBerry]

Hi, I just had my six week check up with GP. I am breastfeeding my DS (new mum). Baby has put on over 4.5 lbs since he was born, and he wasn't a small baby to begin with (8lb3oz)! This means he has jumped 2 percentiles. Doctor then said it was something to keep an eye on as "you don't want an obese baby". I replied that I thought one couldn't overfeed a breastfed babies but he disagreed. But then he gave me no advice of what I am supposed to do; I feed on demand.

Now I think I have made my baby fat! I am analysing what I have been doing these last six weeks. Firstly, I have had no guidance about feeding at all so maybe I have done things wrong? Secondly, although we have luckily found feeding a smooth (but exhausting!) process, baby is so hungry (he is very long) and he eats every two hours. Should I have tried to space feeds out? Thirdly, I also now recognise that I have created a cycle of nursing to sleep, even in the daytime (feed, play, feed, sleep). Perhaps I have been misinterpreting tired cues for hunger cues?

The irony is I was about to give up BF as I thought he wasn't getting enough milk, and thats why he is always hungry! Thanks for any advice x

you can't.
full stop.

your GP is talking out of his arse.

you can have a chubby bf baby, but they can't be overfed.

like a lot of doctors he obviously hasnt got a clue about breastfeeding.You cant overfeed a breastfed baby,he will eat when he wants to.If i were you i wouldnt bother with those chart things,they cause more hassle than they are worth.

to answer your other Qs - yes, bf on demand, you're doing everything right.
if he didn't want to eat, he wouldn't (or he'd take a short one)
some babies just do seem to eat more (frequency rather than amount).
DD has always fed every 2 hours or so.

and she usually feeds to sleep too. (except when she pram-rides to sleep or car-rides to sleep)
and she feeds through the night too.

No a BF baby can't be overfed. You've done nothing wrong! My DD jumped percentile in the first few weeks, and then came back down again. Normal.

yeah I still BF my 22 month old to sleep at night. Easiest way of getting her to sleep!

Shocking for your GP to say that - he can't have been serious.

Tell your HV what he said.

She should put him right, and she should in any case know what her colleague is saying to 'her' mothers.

Nursing to sleep is normal and lovely and a warm, loving way of meeting a baby's needs to wind down calmly.

I would personally try to vary how you get your baby to sleep if it's bothering you that your baby only goes to sleep on the breast. It does also make them more versatile I found, and also means dad can get them to sleep too.

I'm no expert but as i understand it ebf babies tend to gain weight quicker initially and then more slowly than ff babies. Bf on demand is definitely the way to go, ds2 (9wks) is feeding every 1-2hrs in the day at the moment.

You mentioned your baby was v long, you could try measuring his length (follow the instructions in the red book) and see what centile he's on for length. If he's say 75th centile for length and say 75th for weight then he's in proportion, afaik it's more of an issue if he was say 25th for length and 75th for weight.

I on demand bottlefed both my babies (I would have preferred Bf, much less hassle and antibodies etc). GP needed to know exactly how many feeds, how often, how much. As many as they want, depends on when they are hungry, between 60mls and 240mls, depends on what they want take.

Little baby gained 3 percentiles, big baby dropped 3 centiles.

Your GP is taking poo. All babies eat what they want. I don't believe you always overfeed bottle fed babies so long as you use tough teats that need them to work at it!

Keep going OP. Your milk sounds like it's doing your baby the power of good.

Not met a Mum yet that doesn't feed to sleep in the early months. Ah I miss those drunken eye rolls.

You are doing a fantastic job! Don't let the silly GP knock your confidence.

Your GP is so very wrong. Breastfed babies cannot be overfed. Breastfeeding helps to protect against obesity, it does not cause it. Breastfeeding to sleep is just fine, if you are happy with it then carry on. It does not cause bad habits, breastmilk contains lovely sleepy hormones to help babies drop off. It is normal, normal, normal for babies to fall asleep at the breast. Feeding every 2 hours also normal. You are doing well :) and with no guidance at all, you are obviously listening to your DS and giving him what he needs- keep it up!

All of the above also they lose the chub when they start toddling so it makes no odds

I FF one baby, EBF the second. Both gained a lot of weight in the first three months, then followed their centiles.

Both are tall, strapping boys, without an ounce of fat on them.

I would ignore the doctor in this case.

All mine were on the top centiles.
Those charts are out of date and eurocentric (unless they have been updated)

GP talking rubbish.
What are you supposed to do?
Ignore your baby's cries for food?
Your SIX week old baby?

The logic with breastfeeding is that they gain weight until they find the centile they are meant to be on and then stop gaining weight. A little extra layer of fat protects them if for any reason they can't feed.

I was like you - there was not a day of breastfeeding when I did not think about giving up but please don't. I remember when both of my children were sick and they were always able to drink breast milk - I was so grateful they could keep something down.

Clearly GP is totally wrong here. Keep doing what you're doing, sounds like your baby is thriving!

Make a mental note never to see this GP again and enjoy your baby. The Gp's probably just got attachment issues from being left at the bottom of the garden in his pram and fed four hourly or something.

Your baby will be just fine, please keep going and do not listen to a person who has never fed anyone ever - he really isn't the expert in this case.

I am having opposite issue. I had a baby born on 75th centile, now following 9th centile. Trying not to worry too much. I think the centile they are born on isn't necessarily a reflection on which centile they follow from 6 weeks onwards. I think the first six weeks some babies drop down and some go up centimes until they find where they are meant to be. Although I am no expert. Just my opinion. I know a lot of people who have given birth to small babies, but they have ended up following 75th centile line.

Just wanted to echo what everyone else has said - you can't over-feed a BF baby, they often start out chubbier than FF but then weight gain slows down, feeding to sleep is a wonderful tool, there is nothing wrong with feeding for comfort. As your bubs is gaining well I'd give the scales a miss for a couple of months :)

he's talking cobblers. enjoy the luxury of demand feeding and feeding to sleep - a contented baby that you can always get off to sleep easy peasy. It's wonderful. Now you know you make amazing milk and your baby is thriving you can stop worrying and spend your time finding a new GP. well done. x

re centiles - my dd was born on the second and by 1yr was on the 75th! I'm certain she was meant to be on the 75th and was just born teeny for her, if that makes sense.

I think I will change GPs. He didn't even offer me more iron tablets or to check my stitches! thank you all for your reassuring replies. the only problem now is my poor wrists from picking up and holding my chubby bubba! H x

You need to report that gp - or at least never bother with him again - but best report or make a complain or he'll keep saying things like that to other women who might jo come on mumsnet and get support.

What you're doing all sounds completely normal to me!

And re the centiles, whether you are on the 9th or the 98th they are all within th normal range - not overweight or underweight.