My 8 week old bf dd putting on too much weight.

[Roseofsharon]

Hi. My dd is 8 weeks old and had her 8 week check last week. She was 12lb 2oz which is just below the 91st centile and only on the 50th centile for height.

My hV has made me feel worried as she said if there is a difference of more than 2 lines on the height and weight curves then my dd could be puttting on too much weight.

I am bfing on demand and although she does want to feed quite a lot (see my other thread about her feeding all night!!) I don't think she seems particularly big.

I don't want to stop feeding her when she wants feeding.
I'm not sure what I can do if she does move up another centile.

Has anyone had a similar situation? I would really appreciate any thoughts.

oh this is ridiculous.
Ignore the charts.
Lots of people come on MN saying their HVs are telling them their babies are not putting enough weight on.

Ignore the HV. You don't have to see her.

BF babies normally put on more weight than FF babies in the early days.

your HV is a loon, don't go back

dd sounds lovely

if she is putting on weight and has pkenty of wet and dirty nappies then she is thriving. You don't need a curvy line to tell you otherwise.

12lb 2oz? Well done. You did that

PLease don't stop feeding on demand. At that age definitely, if your DD is requesting a feed then she needs one. You HV is (I'm fairly certain) talking rubbish - you cannot overfeed an excl bf baby!

Lol at my use of 'requesting a feed' - sounds as though she is completing a form and sending you the yellow copy

do not stop feeding her

the weight gain will plataeu out

fantastic your milk is growing her so beautifully

8 weeks old babies are designed to feed a lot, it is what they do!

Thats what I thought, Moondog, I would have been really worried if she wasn't putting weight on.

Maybe I am feeding her too much but she genuinely seems to be hungry.

NotQuiteCockney, that is interesting. Everyone usually says that formula fed babies put on more weight.

'Dear Madam,

I hereby acknowledge your RK788 Request For A Feed form and am delighted to inform you that the feed will be provided within the timeframe you suggest once the necessary clothing adjustments have been made

Yours faithfully,

Wilhelmina Badger'

If she is hungry,then feed her.
And remember that breastfeeding is also about feeling warm and loved and safe and cherished in Mummy's arms.

Very droll Badger.

Formula fed babies put on more in the long term - I don't think their growth slows down around 5-6 months like it does (naturally) with breastfed babies.

HV is a loon. That is your only problem. Stop taking DD to be weighed and problem solved.

Overall FF babies tend to put on more weight, but typically BF babies put on faster to begin with and then level out a bit to be overtaken by the FF babies.

lol! MrsB
Maybe incorporating some sort of feedback form for post-feed.
Please rate your feeding experience on a scale of 1-10 where 1 is "Waaaah, call that a feed?" and 10 is milky-drunk, "hmm I could just go for a little snoo...zzzzzzzz"

Your HV is an idiot I'm afraid.

Your DD sounds gorgeous.

Starlight, was that your HV?

I do think some HVs are unclear on the concept of centiles. All babies can't by definition be on the 50th centile.

Just checked my crappy, wanky, stupid little red book that I carried round like a prat in the early days and dd was 12lb 10oz at 8 weeks and had been born bang on the 50th centile. She went up another 2 centile lines for weight in the next 10 weeks and has been just off the top of the chart ever since. I demand fed her for 7 months. She's thriving. And tall. And bonny. And normal.

Overfeed a bf baby?

Twaddle.

Well done.

Lol MrsBadger.
Thank you all. I feel much better. I am just going to carry on doing what I am doing.

StarlightMackenzie I hope they don't try and refer me. It seems madness to try to put a baby on a diet.

My doctor said what do HV's know when they diagnosed my dd's blocked tear duct as conjunctivitis at 6 weeks old! She's on the 99th centile (was 16 lb at 11 weeks ) and you can not overfeed a bf baby - they will take what they need! mine fed like crazy until about 2 weeks ago (is now 13 weeks) and now it's about every 3 hours in the day which feels like ages! Please ignore the stupid centiles (the charts are old and babies are bigger these days anyway) and the even stupider HV and feed your lovely baby when she wants - it sounds like you're doing a fab job!

It is so nice to be reassured that I am doing the right thing with dd.