Hi IM's I recently visited my health nurse for a routine visit. The nurse weighed bubs and measured her she was 6.250grams and 59cm, apparently making her over weight. I have started her on solids as she won't settle on just a bottle any more, I limit her to half a jar (will eat full one if I let her). The nurse has told me to cut it out and stop all solids. I don't know what to do and just needing some advice.. I am at a loss, she has been so little for so long (basically under weight) and I thought she was a normal size.
17 Replies
Maybe go see your local gp and get their opinion?
I was told the same thing by a health nurse with my second daughter. I was so distraught I cut out all her solids and felt like an absolute failure as a mother. I got her in to see our pediatrician and cried all over his desk and he reassured me that there was absolutely no way a baby of 5 months could be overweight enough to warrant withholding food or 'dieting'. My babies all seemed to grow in spurts... they'd get chunkier and chubbier, then shoot up a couple of inches practically overnight! I honestly wouldn't start withholding solids from her. On height to weight she's just below the 97th percentile. If you are really in doubt, get her in to see a pediatrician and ask the advice of a REAL health professional. :(
What irresponsible advice from a health care 'professional'! Dont stop solids. Get a second opinion and have a look at this link http://www.kidspot.com.au/familyhealth/Development-School-Height-and-gro...
I have had two big baby boys and they have always been chubby bubbys, and in the 90th percentile for growth charts. I have never had a nurse/ dr to tell me to stop feeding them, that doesn't seem right. Your daughters weight seems spot on for her age on the percentile charts so I'm not sure where she was getting her advice from. I believe that you truly need to follow your own motherly instincts, and you know your daughters needs more than any one, especially when it comes to feeding. You are doing a fantastic job!
Go and see another Doctor. My daughter was on the 100th percentile up until about the age of 1. At the age of 1 she weighed in at 12kg's. She is now a healthy active 9yr old one of the tiniest girls in her class. Once you baby girls starts crawling and moving around you will probably find her weight will plateau. Ease your mind and seek alternate advice.
Your baby is NOT over weight. Do not listen to her, find yourself a new child health nurse! At 5 months my baby weighed nearly 9kg, he is quite long though. Don't cut back on what you feed your baby, if she's hungry let her eat.
Do not with hold her food, what a reduculous thing for a health nurse to say, there could be big issues down the track with baby earing if you just withhold her food now, I strongly disagree with a baby being overweight at that age, she is just a baby! If she eats healthy foods and still has required milk intake what's the problem? They are only going by a chart that leaves no room for genetics or individual children's growth spurts, go and have a chat with your doctor, I think he will find her telling you to stop solids ridiculous, good luck!
I wouldn't be going back, all babies are different. My boy was 6.5kg at 8 weeks and when he started walking the weight just fell off him.
What the?! My eldest son was born weighing almost 4.5kg and was in the 100th percentile until he was almost 2! Don't cut out good until you see your GP, she will burn it off when she starts to move, as long as you are feeding her appropriate healthy food!
This is why i refuse to see the child health nurse, and instead take my kids to GP might be more expensive but theirs a reason drs have to study for 5 yrs to become qualified. My 2nd was always hungry and i started him on solids at 4mths as we couldnt keep him full and he would just cry and cry if we only fed milk. I was told by a few ppl he looked chunky or over weight by about 5mths but he started crawling at 6mths and that fullness soon wore off. I also find with my kids now 6 and 3 that they do kinda get alittle fatter before they have a growth spurt. If your in doubt i would ask ur GP, my GP tells me theirs never a stupid question.
At 4 months old my daughter weighed 6.4 and was 62cms (i dont have 5 months in her book) she was also my smallest bubba. My son was a big boy mostly sat anywhere between the 90-95th percentile up until 6 months old when a combination of eczema and diet made him not put on enough weight and he dropped down to the 50th. I would much prefer more chunk on my baby then less incase something does pop up that causes less weight gain or to loose weight. Get a second opinion to me it sounds like u have a perfect little bub. Even by checking on the growth charts she seems perfect for her height. Don't worry about withholding food at all until your gp sees her and says to.
Babies eat that's what they do. I am shocked that a health care nurse said such a thing. If your baby is eating well don't stress, she is probably going through a growth spurt. I'd be more worried if she was under weight. I don't understand how these docs and nurses say kids under the age of 3 are over weight. My nephew was premi by 7 weeks and at about 6 months he looked like a 10 month old. So chubby! He is now 12 years old and is at a perfect weight for his age. Your baby will grow and stretch out. Just keep feeding if she's hungry, never take food away from a baby, that's just ridiculous!
I agree that toddlers can be overweight, I don't mean just chubby but really obese. Same for teens and adults, but babies? Really? I'd be telling you health nurse to find a new career path as she's clearly an idiot. Unless your baby is as round as she is long (in which case you'd need a dr anyway) I'd carry on feeding her as you were and quit second guessing yourself. Get used to the growth spurt thing lol. I'd watch my son - who has always been whippet thin since he started walking - get the tiniest little tummy on him from the extra food he was eating then he'd shoot up another couple of inches and be back to normal.
At our 6 month needles/ check up my son was 9.2kg!! And 70cm. He is in no way fat at all and the doc didn't have any issues with him. Our paediatrician said that this is the chubby bubby phase and once they are up and moving they will shred some of their chunkiness. If you are really worried about it seek a second opinion. But otherwise keep listening to your baby. You know what is best :-)
My 5 month old is 7.580kg and 61cm so if your baby is overweight mine must be obese haha. He has solids twice a day and though is he chubby, chub is healthy for a baby. I have been told by my health nurse he is a good size! I would ignore this particular comment and advice and maybe see if you can get a new nurse? Where does she line up on the graph?
I would say that your daughter is about to have a growth spurt! My son always gets "fat" right before he grows a few centimetres taller. I bet if you went back in a couple of weeks the nurse wouldn't even mention anything about her weight because she would be longer in size. Don't stop solids if she's used to it, that would be like you going on a diet! In my opinion she sounds like she's in a healthy weight range anyway so I have no idea what the nurse was on about. Ease your mind and get a second opinion, but I'd rather a baby with meat on her than a skinny bub!
I've just had my 5 month old baby at hospital for a cold! They weighed him and he weighs in at 9.2kg she basically told me has fat!! I was so unhappy leaving hospital! How dare she?
I was told I need to speak with my health visitor about his weight issue!, even though I see my health visitor every other week and says his weight is fine! Why am I being told one thing then another off different people? I'm confused as she's told me to reduce his milk feeds and offer him a dummy instead of milk! Anyone else in same situation?