Please help me...is my baby boy ok?

Question

My 14 week old baby boy weighed 7lb 15oz at birth, was exclusively breastfed for 5 weeks and breast/formula since. He has gained at least a pound a week at birth and now weighs 20lb 11oz. He has 4 6/7oz bottles a day and the rest breast. My HV is concerned as he's over average centiles and has scared me that something may be medically wrong. He's at docs on Tue but I'm terrified. He doesn't look obese, jus a big healthy lad. I was 17lb at his age (and looked much fatter and his dad is 6ft 4ins so surely this matters? I've never heard of a baby this big before though. Any advice would be great as I'm a first time 22 yr old mum x

Answer 1

If he is breast-fed, why are you giving him bottles as well?

If you are concerned about the weight gain, and I would be, just reduce the number of bottles or the amount he has in each bottle.

The rule is normally that a baby will triple his birth weight in his first year, so your little guy is almost triple his birth weight and he isn't even four months old yet!  I would expect a baby of his birth weight to be about 23 - 24 lbs at a year - that would be a nice healthy weight.

If he is used to having the bottles, then just dilute the milk that is in them a little.

If he continues to gain a pound a week, he will weigh 60 pounds by the time he is a year old, and you certainly don't want that!

Answer 2

My 1 year young grandson,weighs the average of a 2 year old.

Has been over average weight since Birth.

He is Lively happy and built like a brick ....wall.

If he has no breathing or chest complaints is well and contented,

be a very proud first time mom.

You have a Strapping lad there.

God Blessx

Answer 3

I honestly can't say for certain - but I would say 'Go with your instincts' - if he looks healthy (and you as his Mum knows best) and is acting like himself, then that is a great sign!

If your HV was REALLY worried, they would have sent you to see someone today...

If you are worried, go to your local children's unit at hospital - they are great at soothing nerves with something like this - and will check him over for you..

Best of luck - and let us know what happens x

Answer 4

My son was 8lb 10oz when he was born and over 10lb when I left hospital a few days later, he was a chubby baby until he started walking...... now there isn't an ounce of fat on him, I actually try to make him put on weight by adding sneaky calories to his meals.

Don't ever let anyone make you feel bad for not breast feeding.

Answer 5

try cutting out so many bottles maybe just give him 2 6oz bottles.

he will soon be onto food so u could give him breakfast and water or juice. then a milk around 11 then lunch around 1 then a milk around 3 then tea around 6 then milk b4 bed............ see how that helps.

there was never ne worries of obease children till recently. dont panic. a friend of mine has a 7 month old who weighs nearly 2 stone but he was over 9lb born yet her health visitor aint worried as when they move more they lose it. good luck and dont panic urself. ur doing everything right.

Answer 6

my baby also weighed 7.15 at birth hes now 21 weeks old and weighs just over 16 hes followed the 50th centile since birth. your son has obviously gone over his expected weight but this doesn't always mean theres a problem. my son seemed to put on lots of weight in the first 3-4 months but this last month hes not put so much on so maybe your sons weight will slow down. good luck  

Answer 7

he sounds like a healthy baby to me. what annoys me is that doctors , midwifes and health visitors go by a book, in this book is average size babies. what they dont realise is that what is average nowadays. they said my boy was a big lad at birth, he was 7lb10oz. they said because i am small (im only 5ft3) i would have a small baby. but they were wrong. everychild is different. you cant say there is an average child because there isn't. as your baby starts to move he will lose the weight anyway. i say if you feel he is happy then there is nothing to worry about. if you think he might be over weight take him swimming. i doubt he is though. good luck.

Answer 8

Nothing to worry about.  My son was about the same size at 4 months as yours (although he DID look pretty round) and was over the 100th percentile for weight and like 50th percentile for height.  That was with pure breast feeding.  Once he started to move, crawl, and run he slimed right down.  He is still a healthy (big eater) at 21 months, but now he's more like 60th percentile weight and 50th height.  No reason to be worried, let alone terrified.  

Answer 9

prob just genetic, if you were big and father big!

Answer 10

He's fine. If the dr isn't concerned, you have no worries! My daughter was always off the chart. She does weight more now than her friends, but looking at her you couldn't tell. she is the same height.

He's fine! Best of luck!  

Answer 11

I had the same problem with my son he was over the average centile levels at all his checks and when he was 8 months old the health visitor said that he is abnormally big and there might be a problem I was beside myself with worry and went to see my GP who was very annoyed with the health visitor and told me that my son was a very healthy bonny baby, his weight was in proportion to his length,head circ etc and he certainly was not fat, he is now 7 years old and people are always shocked to discover his age because he is so tall he's 4ft 10in and wears 11-12yr clothes he is not fat but he is stocky and very fit. So please don't listen to the health visitor they are as bad as childrens health books for making you think there is something wrong with your child when they are perfectly healthy, enjoy your bonny boy!

Answer 12

My boy looks big,he's 10 months and is quite a strapping lad. On his weight graph he has always been a little over the line and the last time he was weighed it had come down a bit and the HV said,oh thats good,we were getting worried about him being so big!!! He is very tall/long and is going to be tall I think so thats prob why your little one is heavier?

Unless there is a real medical reason and he isnt well then the HV is right to be worried but if he is just a healthy strapping lad then dont worry. I'd say he's gonna be like his daddy!

Answer 13

How often is he breastfeeding? My daughter is nearly 6 months old and eats about 5 ounces every 3-4 hours. It sounds like your son does eat quite a bit, but I'm not sure that is a bad thing. All children are different. Does he spit up a lot? If not, he's probably not overeating. Also, are you feeding him on a schedule or allowing him to fuss when he is hungry? Try to let him tell you when he's hungry rather than get him on a schedule...hopefully that will help to stretch his feedings out a bit. If you are doing all those things and he's still bigger, I wouldn't worry. As you said, his dad is very tall and that could have a lot to do with it. Good luck!

Answer 14

Don't you just love big chubby babies! I do! My two were well over the centile line cos they have the tall gene from me, now the eldest is tall & slim. He's takin after his dad that's all. Don't worry, i think you're doing a great job.

Answer 15

He is not obese but he is maybe putting the weight on too soon or too fast.