Pediatrician Keeps Saying Baby Is “ Small”
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Anonymous
And new research suggests that newborn feeding practices may have more to do with toddler obesity than experts previously thought. “We know that we have children with clinical obesity at age two, which makes you more likely to be overweight as a teen and into adulthood,” says Ben Gibbs, a professor of sociology at Brigham Young University. Gibbs co-authored a recent study in the journal "Pediatric Obesity" that found clinical obesity at 24 months was strongly correlated to formula feeding in infancy. The team studied 8,000 mothers with nine-month-old babies, asking them whether they predominantly breastfed or formula-fed or did both, and then evaluated the child’s weight at age 2. Babies put to bed with a bottle were 30 percent more likely to be obese at age 2. Those fed solid food before four months were 40 percent more likely to become obese. Gibbs says his research suggests that babies who are mostly bottle-fed don’t always learn how to regulate their appetites the same way as breastfed babies, and that parents may tend to overfeed when they’re looking at a bottle of milk and measuring a baby’s serving in ounces (something a mom doesn’t do when she breastfeeds). |
Anonymous
The pediatrician never told OP to stop nursing. She chose to pump. |
Anonymous
Another one bites the dust… |
Anonymous
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OP, I haven’t read all 8 pages, but I assume at some point this jumped the shark and you have gotten a lot of crazy advice at this point. But please do the following:
1) Try a different pediatrician. This one seems either alarmist or just unnecessarily blunt and you seem to be a worrier by nature so that’s not a good personality fit. It is no big deal to admit that and ask to see someone else for your next visit. 2) Weigh-ins are notoriously unreliable, because a) it’s hard to get a clear height measurement at this age (which impacts BMI percentiles), b) there are a lot of variables like how full baby’s stomach/diaper are at weigh-in, c) kids don’t grow in a straight line. They get fat then they shoot up. So you could have a kid whose BMI looks like they are overweight and then measure the same kid in 3 weeks and he looks too skinny for height. 3) He dropped below his curve but that isn’t a trend yet at this point. Unless you have a very unusual disorder, he will TELL you if he is still hungry. Since you have plenty of extra pumped milk, you can continue to offer slightly more (like 4.5 oz) at feedings just to see if his hunger increases or fluctuates but there is not need to force feed or overfeed. He is small but he is within the range of normal both for weight and for the amount he is eating. Continue to respond to his cues and continue to track his weight and only change feeding methods if this trend continues. |
Anonymous
What does that mean? OP is doing what she feels is best for her and her baby. She said nursing would make her worry too much, so she’s more comfortable pumping and supplementing. Why is that any concern to you how a stranger feeds her baby? Are you someone offended OP chose not to nurse her child? You’re weird. |
Anonymous
I’m a DP but I think it’s disappointing that a pediatrician’s repeated comments pushed someone away from the AAP (and WHO, and every other reputable body) best practice for how a newborn should be fed, just because the pediatrician couldn’t keep her (non-medical) opinions to herself. From a medical standpoint the baby was totally fine but OP was told how “small” he was and now the baby stops getting what is considered the best possible feeding outcome. OP isn’t doing anything wrong but look at the consequences of one lazy pediatrician. |
Anonymous
I still don’t understand. OPs son is fed and happy and that’s all that matters. He is still getting breast milk and doesn’t need to be attached to the breast to be well fed. There are many moms who choose not to breastfeed, can’t breastfeed, or combo feed and it’s insulting to insinuate they are not getting the best because they’re bottle fed. I’m so tired of the breast is best group that has issues if a mom doesn’t nurse. |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
| Keep pumping if you feel that is best. Your baby will be happy and healthy regardless if you nurse, pump, or formula feed. |
Anonymous
If OP wanted to formula feed I’d be 100% behind her decision. But she wanted to breastfeed, then a pediatrician gave her bad information (again, in conflict with the best practice of the AAP not just hippies on the internet) and now she’s put herself through eight weeks of jumping through hoops to follow bad advice before finding a good pediatrician, resulting in her not feeding her baby the way she wanted to, and the way every reputable agency recommends. |
Anonymous
Why does that bother you? It’s not your baby and she is doing what she feels is best for her baby. |
Anonymous
You didn’t read the thread did you. OP is doing great. Her first pediatrician should lose her license. |
Anonymous
| We had a young pediatrician with our first kid, although we rotated around the whole practice. She was a pain too because she was by the book, and wanted us to wake the baby for feedings. She didn't calm down until she had her own kids and learned that babies don't read textbooks. |