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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

EBF baby jumping centiles, told to limit/spread out feedings.

28 replies

Veteran · 28/05/2010 10:51

Baby is gaining "huge" amounts of weight according to HV, gone from 75th centile to just over 98th in 6 weeks, I'm not entirely sure why this is seen as a problem? I couldn't limit/spread out feeds even if I wanted to, she's not exactly cooperative (how many 6 weeks old are?).

This is my 3rd and my other 2 stuck pretty much on their birth centile. Is it a problem that's she jumping centiles or am I getting crap advice?

OP posts:
Maranello · 28/05/2010 11:09

i agree with you, why would it be a problem?

both mine were on the 50th centile at birth. ds soared up and off the top of the charts; dd was up to 75th by 6 weeks and is still about there (i think). both exc bf.

sounds like crap advice to me. i can't imagine how i'd have "limited" or spread out feeds for my two - they (and i) would have been thoroughly miserable. i'd say you're probably safe to ignore hv on this one - or at least ask her why exactly a baby putting on weight well is a problem?

mrspear · 28/05/2010 11:15

How on earth do you limit feeds for a baby?

Are you suppose to let the baby scream in hunger and ignore?!

Sounds like terrible advise ... i personally would ignore the HV

PS Congrats on the birth

Morloth · 28/05/2010 11:56

HV sounds mad. I have a giant baby, he is totally demand breastfed, so he is exactly the size he is supposed to be. Sounds like you are doing brilliantly!

Chuck the centile book, I don't use them, I have yet to see them bring anything other than misery if the baby doesn't do what it "should" according to the book.

AllSheepareWhite · 30/05/2010 18:54

Just ignore HV, I didn't take my DD to HV after 8 weeks (98 centile) as it was obvious that she was gaining weight and the weight charts are based on ff babies anyway. She is nearly a year, still big, still bf alongside solids and is absolutely fine without HV involvement. I just take her to doctors if I have any concerns regarding anything else. Bf babies are all different and will gain/lose weight depending on growth spurts, teething (if putting them off feeds), 4-6 months towards intro of solids etc ... They will make it up if they feed less on one day with feeding more on another. You are doing the right thing, keep it up, breastmilk is all they need at that age and there is no such thing as too much if you go by their needs, they demand it you provide, perfect!

PS I have heard that HV scales can sometimes be wrong!

jemjabella · 30/05/2010 19:31

My nephew was a big one, also soared up the centiles and his mum was told she was "overfeeding" and that he needed less boob. I believe mum's exact words were "sod off".

notyummy · 30/05/2010 19:34

Sounds like DD - she was a highly effective feeder (hooray!) and did exactly the same with the cetiles as you have outlined. My HVs were always positive and would go on about how well we were doing.

ShowOfHands · 30/05/2010 19:38

My dd was born on the 50th, off the chart within a few short weeks, putting on a pound a week for quite some time. She is still on the top of the charts at 3yrs old, but is lean, strong and most importantly, fairly tall.

Ignore the hv. Mine was brilliant. Gave me biscuits and tea and said well done. Putting a baby on a diet? Tosh.

pantaloons · 30/05/2010 19:39

My eldest was off the top of the page in the red book just before her 1st birthday. She was ebf until 9 months and the hv kept making me go back every 2 weeks. Was a joke really, she liked her milk/food, she was healthy and active and is now a VERY tall, slim 6 year old. I did spend the first year in a state of panic/apprehension before seeing the hv with her, which was a shame and totally unneccessary in the end and also why my younger 2 have been about 6 times between them!

whomovedmychocolate · 30/05/2010 19:40

DS started on the 15th, shot off the top by ten weeks and settled on the 91st by the end of the 1st year. I think you can safely ignore such silly advice. If you were feeding formula obviously it's worth checking you aren't overfeeding but IME growing is what breastfed babies do. Both mine did anyway.

You know this, stop worrying

theboobmeister · 30/05/2010 19:44

Ask her to provide you with the scientific references proving that this is a problem at 6 weeks

ReshapeWhileDamp · 31/05/2010 11:59

Demand-fed, EBF babies cannot be 'overfed'. Your HV is undertrained and ignorant, but you know this. Well done, you're being brilliant, and it must be so satisfying to have such a great feeder.

My HV and MWs were great about breastfeeding, used to be sort of cheerleaders when I went in and DS had had another huge gain. I must have been very lucky in them!

Reallytired · 31/05/2010 21:19

Babies don't know about percentiles. Also breastfed babies follow a different pattern to bottlefed babies. Do you have a breastfed growth chart or a bottlefed chart. Breastfed babies tend to put weight on faster than bottlefed babies in the early weeks and then this weight gain slows down. Infact at a year breastfed babies are a lot lighter than bottlefed babies.

See this link to compare the two charts.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8035784.stm

You can get breastfed baby charts from this website

www.rcpch.ac.uk/Research/UK-WHO-Growth-Charts

heymango · 31/05/2010 21:25

Didn't think you could over-feed a EBF baby - ridiculous!

Baby is just finding his/her natural level - don't worry, it's fine.

sanfairyann · 31/05/2010 21:28

dear oh dear - ask her when she last updated her bf training - think she's getting a bit confused with bottle feeding there! really though - you should challenge her if you can bear to or she'll keep on spouting rubbish.

hairymelons · 31/05/2010 21:32

That is shockingly bad advice. She definately needs some training, I'd report for that before she scares a new mother into not feeding their baby!

sparklycheerymummy · 31/05/2010 21:39

my ds is way off the top line for height and weight and i have been told he is fine.... he has gone up from second line and is HUGEEEEE and i love him like that....proper chunky fella. however he is now on the move and i know he will probably drop a bit or not pu it on so much. dont stress and well done for your fab rocket fuel !!!!

luciemule · 31/05/2010 21:48

You cannot overfeed a EBF baby! The breastmilk will be digested quickly and efficiently and used exactly as it should be.

I agree, you should defo confront her and also double check if their charts have been updated to bf, rather than ff babies. They should have been by now but I guess some may have been missed.

carry on feeding on demand and your baby will thrive.

Longtalljosie · 31/05/2010 21:59

Sounds just like my DD! My HV was delighted, shame yours is rubbish

Morloth · 01/06/2010 09:20

I agree that you should tell her she is wrong, she will be saying this crap to mums who don't mumsnet and possibly screwing up great breastfeeding relationships.

Original poster
Veteran · 01/06/2010 11:01

Thanks all.

The charts in her red book are for FF babies, I think she said they were swapping to the BF in August.

I will question her the next time I see her, I knew her advice wasn't brilliant but still had to double check, wouldn't want someone else to take her word as gospel and stop feeding.

OP posts:
luciemule · 01/06/2010 12:28

that explains it then - she's going off ff charts! Can't believe it's taken so long for your area to swap charts though. DS was born in 2005 and he had a bf chart. Bless, him though, he was still on the 2nd percentile!

FionaSH · 01/06/2010 20:06

Ditto here - DS is well off the charts, over 25lb at 6 months, EBF. He didn't lose any weight after birth and just went feed crazy. Have just been to see a consultant paediatrician as our nurse said she was worried he was too big, and I should start cutting out feeds (which I really wasnt very happy with). Paed said he was really pleased with him, just a big, big, bouncing baby boy! Nothing to worry about at all.

AngelDog · 01/06/2010 20:35

Agree with everyone who says your HV is mad. BF babies gain weight faster than FF babies in the first 2-3 months, but then taper off, often between 9 and 12 months: see here: Is my EBF baby gaining too much weight?

You could also show her this 'model textbook chapter' for health professionals produced by the World Health Organisation. Page 16 explains that bf babies should be fed as often as they want for as long as they want day & night for the first 6 months.

I'm another with a well-fed bf baby: DS was on 50th centile at birth for height & weight, 75th centile at 6 weeks, and 98th centile at 5 months. I want to have him at the very top of the charts before starting solids! All the HVs I've seen have just said how cute / alert / good size he is, and no concerns about his weight.

LargeGlassofRed · 01/06/2010 20:41

dts started on 2nd and 9th centiles now off the top of the charts both ebf and weaned at 6 months,

SirBoobAlot · 01/06/2010 20:48

She's bonkers Ignore ignore ignore. Carry on what you're doing - sounds like you're both doing fantastically