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Original poster

"Obese" newborn

75 replies

Growingyou · 27/08/2021 12:01

Hi everyone, looking for some second opinions. I gave birth exactly 3 months ago - my little one was a very average 3.3.kgs at birth (arrived 2 weeks early). He is now an enormous 8.57kgs (69cm long), so is completely off the charts size wise. Naturally, everyone who meets our little baby is stunned by his size. He is 100% breastfed and definitely has a hearty appetite (still waking 3x nightly for feeds).

My mum commented that it's great to have a big healthy baby, but not so enormous that he won't be able to reach his developmental milestones. Also, she raised concern that he would develop fat cells that are almost impossible to change as this becomes his bodily structure. She said it's very difficult for overweight children not to become overweight adults.

The doctor says breastfeeding protects against obesity and while I should feed on demand, I should also try to stretch him out to a minimum 2 hours between feeds.

I don't know whether I should get a second medical opinion. Anyone have any advice?

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 27/08/2021 12:02

I would ignore your mom and listen to the doctor

loafcake · 27/08/2021 12:04

Definitely ignore anyone but your doctor, sounds like you have a happy healthy baby on your hands!
Also waking up 3x nightly is absolutely normal at only 3 months old, I think my daughter was still on 4/5 wakings at that age!

Poppy709 · 27/08/2021 12:11

Listen to the doctor, as far as I’m aware it’s only once children hit about 1 that they start to look at the ratio between height/weight and have any concerns about weight/obesity.

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DrMadelineMaxwell · 27/08/2021 12:13

My dd2 was enormous as a baby after being 6lb at birth. I never bought trousers to put her in as they didnt look right and some just wouldn't fit.

We jokingly call her 'sumo baby' when talking to her now looking back at that stage.
Her big sister was 4 at the time and in a toy shop she didn't want a little baby doll. She said she wanted a 'fat baby doll like my sister'.

Dd2 is now a gorgeous size 10 teen who never struggles with her weight and eats very normally.

Reallyreallyborednow · 27/08/2021 12:14

Also, she raised concern that he would develop fat cells that are almost impossible to change as this becomes his bodily structure. She said it's very difficult for overweight children not to become overweight adults

Is your mum a dr, hv, dietician? Where did she get this? Ask her for evidence from a doctor that being big will permanently change his fat cells- or ask your dr.

From the bit of biochemistry I did on fat regulation the understanding was the number of fat cells never changes, they just increase in size with stored fat.

As for impossible to lose weight later? Bollocks.

amyboo · 27/08/2021 12:15

My Ds1 was/is enormous - 4.7 kg when born at 39 weeks! He was off the charts for height and weight as a newborn, and has stayed that way ever since. He's now 161cm at 11.5, and about 40kg. And not at all overweight. I even actually took him to the doctor when he was about 5 as I was concerned he was too thin as we could see all his ribs! So definitely ignore your Mum on this one

Rattysparklebum · 27/08/2021 12:17

My son followed a similar pattern, born 2 weeks early on 50th centile, breast fed on demand and went up in a vertical line to above 99th centile, he was very fat, by the time he started school he was a bean pole, tall and skinny and has remained that way into adulthood.

GarnetsandRubies · 27/08/2021 12:18

My friends baby was exactly the same, we used to ask her if there was miracle grow in her breast milk! He is now a very average sized 3 year old. Dont worry about it!

Sprogonthetyne · 27/08/2021 12:18

My DS was an enormous baby, at nearly five he is still big, but not fat, just the size and proportions of a healthy 7 year old.

TheCheeseBadge · 27/08/2021 12:19

No such thing as an obese 3 month old!

Carry on BF on demand - I had a massive baby and was told repeatedly you can't overfeed a breastfed baby.

He's now a very active 4 year old - 90th centile for height and 75th for weight. Eats like a horse and is pretty well able to regulate his own food intake (obviously I don't leave it entirely to him!). He'll eat when he's hungry, and stop eating when he isn't. He's not obsessed with junk food and is definitely nowhere near overweight.

Having a very small child is stressful enough without the people around you making you stress even more! Sounds like you're doing a great job.

Perching · 27/08/2021 12:23

Ignore your mum and feed away.
My son tracked 97 centile and also went off the chart, he is now 10 and nicknamed spaghetti boy as he is thin as a rake and all arms and legs. Just be prepared for the comments re development - my son took about a month/6 weeks behind his peers to roll/sit/crawl/walk and constant comments about his size. I think just because he was so big and heavy. My ‘smaller’ elder son who tracked the 50th centile walked at 10 months.

WillaWeatherspoon · 27/08/2021 12:25

DS was born at 8lb at 40+1, so totally average weight. Within 8 weeks he was on the 98th percentile and has stuck to that 98th line for weight and height/length without the slightest deviation ever since. He's now 5yo and perfectly in proportion, albeit in age 7 clothes and the tallest in his year despite being summer born. But I'm 5'10 and DH is 6'4, our daughter is tall too. Are you and your son's dad tall?
Oh and another bit of advice - everyone told me that I should wean DS at 4 months because there's no way just milk could satisfy him (despite exclusive breastfeeding being the reason he'd got that size? Hmm) - I stuck to my guns and waited until 6 months and was pleased I did, as his appetite is great and we've never had any food issues.

nc8765 · 27/08/2021 12:33

My DD was born below the 5th percentile then shot up to the 98th percentile at 8 weeks after being EBF. She was such a chunky baby, rolls and rolls of fat.

She's now a tall and skinny rake!

DishingOutDone · 27/08/2021 12:35

I dont think much of your mum tbh but your baby sounds normal. Don't let your mum mess with your head - is she unpleasant in other ways?

Arghlife · 27/08/2021 12:38

Ignore your mum. I was a nanny to a proper chunck of baby, had the rolls on her thighs. She naturally slimmed out when she became a toddler and was more active. She's now 13 and there's no fat on her.

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 27/08/2021 12:39

Your mum is correct in that a child that develops excessive amounts of fat cells will keep them into adult hood, they tend to empty or grow new ones the old ones also hang around.... BUT that is concerning about a child who is obese because the adults in their life feed them a terrible and unbalanced diet NOT a teeny newborn who is EBF.

DD was 7lbs 14oz at birth and by 6 months old and EBF she was off the charts for height (where she has remained and is currently 11 and 5 ft 7) and at 6 months her weight was on the 91 st centile too but once she became mobile and started moving her weight moved to a lower centile.

FloconDeNeige · 27/08/2021 12:41

@Reallyreallyborednow

From the bit of biochemistry I did on fat regulation the understanding was the number of fat cells never changes, they just increase in size with stored fat

This is wrong. Once the fat globules in adipose cells reach maximum size, new cells are made. This is why obese people who lose a lot of weight are often left with excess tissue/skin - the extra cells lose their fat globules but they stick around and are difficult to get rid of.

That said, this is very unlikely to be a concern in babies, so the OP doesn’t need to pay much heed to her mother!

(I have a PhD in biological chemistry and am a pharmaceutical scientist).

Ralph871 · 27/08/2021 12:46

Ignore your mum and partially ignore your doctor. Just continue as you have been. If baby is naturally stretching out to 2 hours between feeds fine but don't feel you have to go 2 hours, just feed on demand as you have been.

It's very difficult for (some) women of a certain generation to pass comments on such things but honestly there is no such thing as an obese newborn.

If you want more info give the national breastfeeding hotline a call. They will put your mind at rest. You are doing great Smile

ittakes2 · 27/08/2021 12:48

I wouldn't worry about the fat cells. My son was 90th percentile for weight and height and now is 12th percentile as a teen.
The only thing is if he's heavily he might have trouble lifting himself to roll over, crawl etc. But you have seen a doctor than just go with that.

Reallyreallyborednow · 27/08/2021 13:01

This is wrong. Once the fat globules in adipose cells reach maximum size, new cells are made. This is why obese people who lose a lot of weight are often left with excess tissue/skin - the extra cells lose their fat globules but they stick around and are difficult to get rid of

I’ve just done a bit of checking and it appears the number of fat cells is set in childhood- once adulthood is reached the number of fat cells remains constant, and are replenished at a rate that keeps the number constant. Increase in weight in children therefore increases the number of fat cells, but increased weight in adults only increases size of the cells.

ancientgran · 27/08/2021 13:01

My son was a similar weight, slightly heavier, but also a bit longer. He's 6'3" and thin as a whippet. He also hit his milestones early and amazed everyone by walking at 9 months. Everyone told me he'd walk late due to his size.

I wouldn't worry.

SecretDoor · 27/08/2021 13:07

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26470877/

Link to some published articles

Floopyandtired · 27/08/2021 13:09

My DS2 is 12 weeks old and 18lbs! He is also exclusively breastfed. He’s just big. DS1 was the same weight at this age and he’s not a very average sized 3 year old, you’d never know to look at him that he was such a barrel at one point 😂

SecretDoor · 27/08/2021 13:10

Are you taking any medication that could be having an effect on the breast milk or baby's appetite?

Is anyone else giving the baby any other drinks?

TheGoodEnoughWife · 27/08/2021 13:18

Similar to others here, my son was EBF and a very chunky baby, rolls of fat on his legs. He is now in his twenties, 6ft 4 and slim.
Don't worry!