Overweight 9 month old baby

[rab3331]

Our foster baby came to us for the second time a week ago weighing 10.4 kilos. Her grandmother who had been looking after her for two months is morbidly obese as well as not being able to cope. The problem I now have is that bubs is too heavy to carry for more than a few yards unless I use both arms which means I then can’t carry anything else. Even a handbag and change bag over my shoulder becomes too much. Getting her into the car seat is a challenge and I wonder how long my back is going to hold out. If I had been her birth mum then I would have developed muscles as she grew (but then if I had been her birth Mum I expect she wouldn’t be overweight).
Question is, does anyone know a safe diet I can put her on? She loves her Formula which I have been diluting. I have also given her diluted fresh juice as she doesn’t like water and a mashed banana for breakfast, spaghetti hoops and mash for lunch (small portion) and small jar of apple and oatmeal for supper. She doesn’t seemed to have been given much in the way of solids so the usual apple pieces, carrot sticks are probably over ambitious at this stage.
Any tips welcome!

Not nasty, just trying to justify this madness.

I'll post it here in a bit

She's deleted it, how odd

OP have you spoken to a GP about health / diet advice? Reason I ask is that according to the vic.gov.au website, 10kg at 9 months is only within the 95 percentile in terms of baby growth. So NO doctor would have told you to put the baby on a diet. Link is below.

OP I think you should contact whoever arranged the fostering relationship and tell them you don’t have the first idea how to care for a baby, and that you also have incredibly weak arms and so can’t carry her. (Being unable to carry a 10kg baby when you don’t have disabilities or health conditions to explain it, is ridiculous by the way).

www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/childhood/parents/mch/mchgrowthboy24mths.pdf

You sound woefully uniformed about babies in general, for a foster carer. Are you a trained, approved one, or is this a kinship fostering?

I can't believe someone trained and informed, would give spaghetti hoops to a 9 month old baby, for a start, and watering down formula is more complicated than simple maths - you are messing with the balance of nutrients in the milk.

Also, what kind of numpty can't think of buying a sling?!

Weight is normal. My 5mo is 19lb. Yes he is heavy but if i need to carry something else i dont carry him as well.

Do not dilute formula. Milk is one of the most important things in their diet at this age. My ds refused to drink water until way after 1yo. I wasnt worried as he was having milk and fresh fruit and veg like water melon when it was hot. I still offer a cup of water at every feed though. Dont let refusal put you off.

There is too much sugar in the diet so maybe swap for some veggies.

Don't dilute the formula! That is so dangerous. Also, don't put her on a low fat diet. Babies need a good amount of fat in their diet for general growth (especially skin) and brain development. In fact don't put her on any kind of diet, it is not appropriate for an infant - just feed her nutritious whole foods and the weight will sort itself out.

Sugar on the other hand is unnecessary and you could ditch refined carbs if there are concerns about her blood sugars . So substitute white carbs with small portions of wholewheat/brown carbs and make sure she is getting a good amount of protein and veg to fill her up. Sweet potato toast is easy in the morning (just slice a sweet potato and pop it in the toaster - add a little butter/nut butter/hummus for a well rounded breakfast) and she should be able to feed herself with it. Encouraging self feeding helps to reduce "overeating" because it's quite a lot of effort for them and so they are more likely to stop once satiated.

As for you back. It's not rocket science, you need to do some strengthening exercise. YouTube is your friend. There are a plethora of pilates/yoga/strengthening vids that you can do to build your core and arm muscles... or do a plank challenge.

I find it worrying that you have not had the training or support to know how to feed this baby. As everyone has said, it is dangerous to dilute formula and one pp explained why very clearly. Please speak to the baby’s GP (not your husband) to get some advice.

Please don't dilute her formula.

She doesn't need to go in a diet just feed her healthily, you don't seem to understand what healthy is, the days food you described sounds shot tbh. If you're fostering her surely you get help with this sort of thing? Or you're expected to know it anyway?

Not going to comment on diet etc but I had 2 huge babies - very tall and therefore 98th centile for weight And height. I used the pushchair a lot... carried baby to car then out in infant car seat - often put stuff in car the night before/when baby sleeping etc. The baby car seat just lived in the car from when they were 6 months or so old as I couldn't lift them in it.

It was wonderful when DC4 was only 25th centile for weight by a year old as I could still easily carry her!

As soon as they were standing and climbing I used to let them climb into their own car seats but you're a long way from that time.

I have a hippy chick hip support. Like a solid bum bag it helps take the baby's weight so you only have to hold them stable. You can also get them with straps.

Can't comment on the formula but 9mo is definitely park chubb before they start moving.

Yes hippy chick was great so long as you have hips

OP - please come back and explain what hep and support you are getting from the social and family services in your area. Are you sharing your ideas about appropriate diet with them? Aus services are normally very good and supportive, from what I know, and no one would be approved as a foster carer without knowledge of a healthy diet,, and supervision if the baby has particular dietary needs.

Consensus here is pretty unanimous - the food you are giving her is not suitable, and formula should never be diluted. It's not a question of maths over the whole day, and it's not a question of GPs thinking people are stupid. It's a question of the volume of nutrients and water at any one time.

Quit the defensiveness, and get some support from people whose job it is to support you.