Baby gaining too much weight?

[LoloRara]

Hi everyone

Not sure if this is the best place to post this but seemed the closest category!

I had my baby boy in January, I was induced as growth scans showed his weight gain was slowing down (from 50th to 30th centile) when he was born he was actually around 50th centile weighing 7lb 9oz. His head circumference was around 50th centile too.

At 5 days he maintained birth weight, and then continued to gain. By 4 weeks he has gained good weight and was then in 75th centile.

At our 6 week check he was weighing 12lb 12 which put him in the 91st centile, height 75th and head circumference 91st.
The doctor was concerned due to the jump in centile and asked me to bring him back in 2 weeks for weighing again.

When I did this he had gained again to 14lb 7 and is now between 91st and 98th. She’s still concerned and asked me to bring him back in another 2 weeks.

I am exclusively breastfeeding, baby does have the occasional bottle of pumped milk in the evening when I am putting my toddler to bed.
He doesn’t feed for more than 30 minutes, normally during the day every 2 hours and at night can go 4. I offer the second breast if after he’s burped he appears to be hungry still, he doesn’t always accept (normally once a day)
I have tried a dummy to offer but he’s not interested, and he does refuse breast if I offer and he doesn’t want milk.

I’ve been told not to offer the second breast at all, and try to stick to two hours minimum feed gap.
I guess my concern is it goes against my instinct to stick to a feed gap if he is showing signs he’s hungry, or in need of a bit of comfort I know breastfeeding offers more than just milk and sometimes babies need that too.

Has anyone had similar experiences or can offer me any advice?

Sorry this is so long but didn’t want to miss anything! If it’s relevant my toddler was a small baby, got up to 75th centile by 6 months and since she started crawling she’s been in 50th centile consistently.

Thank you!

@WineInTheWillows I didn’t say to stop breastfeeding on demand. I just said not to disengage with the GP in case the things above need further investigation.

[quote Wondermule]@WineInTheWillows I didn’t say to stop breastfeeding on demand. I just said not to disengage with the GP in case the things above need further investigation.[/quote]
The doctor said to stop breastfeeding on demand. So either OP ignores that instruction, per the majority of responses on this thread, or she does as told by the doctor despite it going against conventional, research-backed wisdom on breastfeeding.

Either GP is a maverick with a strange way of diagnosing rare diseases that might cause excessive weight gain or GP is a bit ignorant when it comes to breastfeeding (sadly incredibly common). In either case, I'd suggest OP ignores the GP on this and, if baby weight continues to spiral out of control (rather than, as I suspect will happen, settling and following a centile) seeks advice from a different HCP.

It's really not unheard of for breastfeeding babies to increase weight to this extent. My DD was born on the 45th centile, shot up to the 91st and then maintained that until about age 2. She is now down to the 75th but still 91st for height. Thankfully, the HCPs dealing with me actually knew what they were talking about and gave us a big thumbs up and a pat on the back then sent us on our way. You can't overfeed a breastfed baby and restricting breastfeeding sessions is not an answer worth respecting just because it came from someone who really ought to know better.

@WineInTheWillows I know. Which is why I said keep breastfeeding but simply keep engaging with Gp in case tests needs to be run.

[quote Wondermule]@WineInTheWillows I know. Which is why I said keep breastfeeding but simply keep engaging with Gp in case tests needs to be run.[/quote]
She'd be better off seeing a different GP. If she keeps breastfeeding on demand, she's gone against the advice of the doctor. Soz either she lies to get these tests done and says she has stopped breastfeeding on demand but baby is still on a large centile (probably making unnecessary tests more likely by skewing the picture of what's happening) or she tells him she's not done that, gets a telling off and a guilt trip by someone who obviously doesn't know the first thing about breastfeeding and gets told that's why the baby is gaining weight so fast.

If there is an underlying issue (pretty damn unlikely, given that OP describes a very common situation for breastfed babies) this GP is about as likely as my pet cat to order further investigation.

*so, not soz

Why on Earth my phone even has soz in its dictionary is beyond me.

@WineInTheWillows all the GP would do is refer to a more specialist doctor for tests if the baby’s weight literally flies off the charts.

GPS are not breastfeeding experts even though MN expects them to be.

As everyone else has said, this advice does not sound right. Responsive feeding is so important. The only thing I would add, however, is to ensure that whoever is giving the bottle of ebm is doing paced feeding. That's really the only time where overfeeding could be happening.

@Wondermule no they’re not at all. Their training on breastfeeding should be much better. So in the meantime we suggested the OP ignore this particular instruction from the GP given that, as you say, they have very poor knowledge about breastfeeding.

Get a second professional opinion if you must, but a blanket “ignore GP advice” is a dangerous yet all too popular sentiment on this forum.

Rubbish advice from the GP to limit access to the breast for an exclusively breastfed newborn!

To be fair I don't expect a GP to know anything about breastfeeding, they get zero training on it.

Both my breastfeed babies climbed the centiles from 50/75 to 98 before falling down again when they started moving more.

@ManicPixie

Get a second professional opinion if you must, but a blanket “ignore GP advice” is a dangerous yet all too popular sentiment on this forum.

Tell me about it I wonder what these posters would say if OP did ignore the GP and, God forbid, baby missed a diagnosis of something? I appreciate the Gp’s advice about restricting feeding wasn’t the best, but they will be the gateway for further tests etc if needed, so there needs to be a line of communication.

Absolute load of bollocks. He's absolutely fine, you can't overfeed a breastfed baby. If he doesn't want it he just won't have it, don't stop offering it and deprive your child if they're hungry. You're doing brilliantly and this unnecessary stress is ridiculous

I have continued to feed on demand and offer the second breast if he appears hungry still after burping etc.

I’ve requested a call/appointment with my health visitor for a more specialised opinion, she’s been really helpful but is on leave this week! I’ll still take him back to the GP for the next appointment and I’ll be honest with her about his feeding etc. If she tries to tell me off for ignoring advice then I’ll request another GP see us going forward. You’re all right he’s too young to withhold feeds of any kind.

I did ask if she was concerned of any medical conditions to which she said no but she would be more concerned he might get too used to eating a lot which he might carry on.

Thank you all again for the replies

Hi OP
My little one doubled her birth weight by 8 weeks which moved her up to 95th centile and she’s stayed around there. If your pace feeding the EBM then you can’t over feed your baby.

As other posters have said GPs get no training in breastfeeding and too often apply rules for FF babies to EBF babies not understanding that they aren’t appropriate. Speak to your health visitor or a lactation consultant if you’re worried but it’s very unlikely there’s anything wrong with your baby.

Not feeding on demand could impact your supply and cause much worse issues!

Thank you for your updates LoloRara. You sound like a great mum.

Get a second professional opinion if you must, but a blanket “ignore GP advice” is a dangerous yet all too popular sentiment on this forum.

'I think, 'Do what you're told because a GP said so,' is far more dangerous advice. I know people who wouldn't be here if they'd followed GP advice. Critical thinking is always a good idea.

Tell me about it sad I wonder what these posters would say if OP did ignore the GP and, God forbid, baby missed a diagnosis of something? I appreciate the Gp’s advice about restricting feeding wasn’t the best, but they will be the gateway for further tests etc if needed, so there needs to be a line of communication.

They won't offer further tests if they think the reason for the weight gain is over- feeding. This GP, quite clearly, prefers to offer their own half-baked notions rather than actually research what they're spouting off about or admit they don't actually have the knowledge. The profession is sadly full of individuals like this, especially with regard to breastfeeding.

GPs are actively discouraged from making referrals and where referrals have been made and there's turned out to not be a problem, they have to justify the decision they made to refer. I've been in med schools in uni and sat in lectures where they've drilled Occam's razor into the student doctors- basically, if there's a simple solution that's more common, go with that. Don't go looking for rare syndromes where there's a simple solution. Here, to the GP's mind, the simple and obvious reason for the weight gain is overfeeding. If she carries on feeding on demand, he will simply blame the weight gain on that. He won't refer.

Also, not one person on this thread has advised that OP refuse all medical advice in future even if her child becomes a tiny sumo wrestler who weighs seven stone by the time he's two, whilst living in a yurt and eschewing all modern medicine. We've said, ignore this GP because he clearly doesn't have a bloody clue what he's on about. She's got to go back for the appointment anyway, as not attending medical checkups etc can be considered neglect by HCPs. But ignore- pay no regard- to the bullshit advice he's proffered here about restricting feeding.

*sorry, she

Mine was the same
Didn't lose any of his birth weight and gained steadily. I live in an area with very good breastfeeding rates and no one batted at eyelid. He's now a very tall, very slim toddler.

Hi everyone.

I thought I would update after phone call with my health visitor this morning. She said I’ve done absolutely the right thing to continue feeding as I was before and reiterated what most of you all said that you can’t over feed a breastfed baby.

She also said that she is not worried at all about his weight due to length and head circumference all being in proportion.

I’ve also been told that the health visitors can take over his care so to advise the GP of this next week so I don’t need to see her anymore for weigh ins. After next weeks GP appointment we will be seen at the children’s centre for weighing once a month because the drop in clinics aren’t open at the moment (covid).

Thank you again for all the comments!

That's good news! Glad she was able to reassure you.

@LoloRara, that’s great news. Wishing you and baby all the best

My baby was born last year and I was also induced due to a centile drop. Baby was born small and gained rapidly for several weeks before settling on his centile. Suspect he had mild IUGR and he just played catch up. You can’t over feed him, you are doing a great job. Congratulations!