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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

big baby health visitor hassles - any advice?

41 replies

bigmouthstrikesagain · 08/05/2007 21:34

My dd is 1 and she weighs nearly 14kgs (30lbs) which puts her off the charts weight wise at about 105%ile or something she is around 98%ile height. Anyway the HV has asked me to make GP appt. for dd to be checked out - For what I have no idea. She just goes on about protocols and monitoring etc. but I am in the dark about what could poss be wrong with my lovely healthy bouncing baby. I come from a big family of tall well built people genetics must count for something?

I still bf on demand though am introducing cows milk she eats healthily fruit veg n dairy (no meat cos we are veggie) she is active has just started to walk and is never ill.

Has anyone got experience of going off these stupid charts with their dc's???

OP posts:
WigWamBam · 08/05/2007 21:39

You don't have to see the GP if you don't want to. You don't have to see the HV either, if you would feel more comfortable not doing so.

As she's so tall, I wouldn't think her weight is a problem. She sounds happy and healthy, and that should be enough for now.

luckylady74 · 08/05/2007 21:45

my dd is at the top of the charts, but she thinned out when she started walking(a bit) and the hv told me that boys and girls stretch out at different times - i'd commented on her being the same weight as her head taller twin brother. sounds fine to me, but if you can't stop thinking about it - go to the gp and say what you said in your op - i'm sure you'll get a sensible response.

GooseyLoosey · 08/05/2007 21:48

If everything seems OK to you, ignore hv. DS started on 50th centile and munched his way up to over 100th centile - he was on 90ish for height. He is now 4 and while "well built" he is not over weight in any sense of the word. Do see GP if you are worried. Are you a tall family?

CarGirl · 08/05/2007 21:50

Well having had a few big babies - the heaviest started off the charts and took about 3 months to hit the 99th centile. Your dd sounds absolutely fine, just ignore the health visitor. The consultant once told me dd3 was overweight when she was on the 92nd centile, err but her height is on the 92nd centil doesn't that mean she's in proportion......................

I think health visitor is just being jobsworthy and referring you because she is over the 100th centile for weight but as she is so tall I can't see it being an issue at all.

Hillls · 08/05/2007 21:50

I wouldnt worry at all, my dd was also 30lbs, she was too big for a rearward facing car seat and too young for a forward facing one, she was enormous, my hv told me I should put her on a diet, she was also a tall baby, very lazy and making up for it now. Babies come in all different shapes and sizes there is nothing wrong with your dd. She is a healthy chubby bubby, she will have a wonderful immune system much better than if she were a small weedy baby She will grown into it.

Original poster
bigmouthstrikesagain · 08/05/2007 21:51

I know wwb - I think once the seed of uncertainty was planted by the HV I felt obliged to go through the motions to satisfy myself that I am doing the best for DD iykwim. If I had never gone to the clinic I would be very happily ignorant but as it is I feel if I dismiss the HV's concerns then I will be seen as obstructive.

Will attend GP appt tomoro and hopefully that will be the end of it - I just am finding the whole thing very unsettling.

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liquidclocks · 08/05/2007 21:54

I've had two big babies, both regularly pushing the top of the chart and I don't worry about them at all - neither does my HV.

I wouldn't prejudge your HV too much, maybe she's had a child in the past that did go on to have problems so she's being super cautious with you.

If you're not worried at all, then I wouln't bother with the GP - we didn't. But, if you have any concerns or just want to discuss why they might be worried so you know what their concerns are exactly then go and see your GP. At least then you can make your own decisions about whether their concerns are valid.

Hillls · 08/05/2007 21:55

Btw my dd was only 8 months

Original poster
bigmouthstrikesagain · 08/05/2007 22:01

Thank you for your responses - it is nice to know dd isn't alone in being big n bonny

Hills - my HV keeps asking what I am feeding her - and suggested i cut down n the BF'ing - instinctively i rejected this as I feel very comfortable letting dd set the pace with bf. I just wish HV could be more supportive of my cont to bf she just gets this very punchable 'concerned face' on and suggests denying feeds so making me feel my instincts are wrong she doesn't seem open to the fact that charts are merely guidelines

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Original poster
bigmouthstrikesagain · 08/05/2007 22:04

sorry if I am venting unreasonably about my HV it is just so difficult to get a straight answer (from any HV in my experience) and it frustrates me - I am sure their intentions are only for the good.

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Hillls · 08/05/2007 22:06

Just remember you are more qualified than your hv as you are the mother!

HV's are not all that, sometimes you get a good one, when you do dont let her go. My dd is now 3 and is a healthy lovely size, still loves her food and eats well but she grew into her flab. A baby will only eat what they need, you are doing a wonderful job and dont let anyone tell you otherwise, honestly I wouldnt worry about it sometimes advice can do more harm than good.

Hillls · 08/05/2007 22:08

Persomally I hate anyone sticking their nose into my business (inc HV's) I took my dd1 to the clinic as I thought we had to, but dd2 has never stepped into one. She even comes to me for the stages checks

Original poster
bigmouthstrikesagain · 08/05/2007 22:12

Thanks Hills - I think when I go to the baby clinic I feel like a schoolgirl or something it is weird I lose all confidence in my mothering ability

I will give the whole clinic nonsense a wide berth in future I think... and stop feeding dd those lard and sugar sandwiches maybe

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berolina · 08/05/2007 22:14

Sounds very like the lovely, healthy, big and tall ds of a friend of mine. Off or almost off the charts for height and weight. And, at the other extreme, my ds, nearly 2, delightful, happy and healthy, been bouncing along the bottom of both height and weight charts more or less since birth.

The idea of babies (particularly bf ones) being described as overweight always disturbs me a little.

Whoooosh · 08/05/2007 22:17

Tell her bot bog off!!!!!!!!!

You are under no obligation to see her or any other HV if you don't want to-nor the GP.

You have done nothing wrong and your dd is a happy,healthy girl-just enjoy her and be glad that she isn't struggling to gain weight-far more worrying IMO.

Good luck.

moondog · 08/05/2007 22:18

'suggests you reduce breastfeeds'??

For fuck's sake,another idiot at large.
And do what exactly?
Get her onto Slimfast shakes???
God they took some shit don't they?
Ignore the half-wit.You are doing the best thing possible for her.

Whoooosh · 08/05/2007 22:18

Sorry-that should say tell her to bog off!!

Hillls · 08/05/2007 22:25

Clinics make you feel like a silly stupid person, thats why I dont go, you go there and they tell you what you should or shouldnt be doing Nah bunch of idiots, you can buy weighing scales for babies or even weigh yourself then hold baby and subtract the difference to give your baby a regular weighing.

Dont listen to her honestly she sounds horrible. you know your baby.

Original poster
bigmouthstrikesagain · 08/05/2007 22:25

I think I feel more sensitive about this whole issue because it is my dd and I worry about when she is older - I was a tall girl slim but even as a child I had a 'womanly' figure (otherwise known as bigbum) for which I got alot of unwanted male attn and teasing (didn't help that I was ginger- lol!)- I was hoping that dd may be spared this experience but what can you do about your genes??? 'They f**k you up your mum and dad'

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Hillls · 08/05/2007 22:30

Were you a big baby? I was huge too, all my siblings were huge, we are all skinny, no obese people in my family, so dont worry too much about that side of things, I think it tends to run like that.

Your dd is beautiful and will be a stunner, nothing wrong with that

Original poster
bigmouthstrikesagain · 08/05/2007 22:44

I was a big baby and sturdy from hardy celtic stock - everyone thought i was a boy - though to be fair i looked bald until i was 2 and mum usually dressed me in dungarees!

We both have beautiful babies I reckon and I am happy with my booty now I will instill my dd with pride in her amazonian attributes

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moondog · 08/05/2007 22:47

Exactly.Wh owants one of those runty little things with purple mottle stick legs??
(Proud mother of two very sturdy children.)

1dilemma · 08/05/2007 22:52

lol moondog

Adorabelle · 08/05/2007 22:56

bigmouthstrikesagain, can only give my own
personal view point here which is 'Carry on doing exactly what you doing, you are a Top mummy'

I had a pretty robust b.fed on demand 1 yr old & was told by a nurse practioner that I was probably only continuing to feed her for my own selfish reasons

Thank the Lord i'm a pretty fiesty minx & I told her where to go, but had I not been so confident in my mothering abilities i'd probably have stopped feeding her & given her a bottle. She's never had a bottle or formula & is now a V.healthy happy still b.fed on demand 3yr old

Original poster
bigmouthstrikesagain · 08/05/2007 23:02

thanks again for all the supportive messages i really appreciate the positive response - dd on the other hand has thanked me by weeing on me while feeding... whilst in a nappy i might add - so i need to dry off

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