4 Month Old Gained 10lbs Since Birth - Pediatrician Concerned

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder what kind of formula are you feeding him? A lot of formulas have bad ingredients in them ( corn syrup, sugars etc.). What is your size, are you overweight or your spouse?

Oh go away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like a lot. I’d be asking what the concern is - like why is that bad. Like what’s the big deal. And I’d ask what you’re supposed to do. Let your baby cry from hunger? Once you get answers then figure out if you need a new doctor. Maybe there is a health issue but the doctor would be able to tell you.

Agree with this! I would also ask if you should be concerned about a hormone imbalance or something — the idea of not feeding a hungry infant is scary to me.

This. That is too much. There may be a medical reason for it. Developmental pediatrician?

[Anonymous]

Used to be that doctors did not comment on baby weight unless the baby was small. It was not considered something to be concerned about at all until the child was 2 years old. My kids are 10 so this isn’t ancient history. Since then, though, guidance has changed. Since doctors wouldn’t say anything about big babies, there have been some really chunky 2 year olds and we know scientifically that there is a correlation between very heavy babies and obesity in children. And childhood obesity is very common. Maybe doctors are realizing that a blanket rule to say nothing isn’t a good option so they are rejiggering. In your child’s case, I agree with PPs who suggest pushing back on what you should be looking for. Perhaps obesity is a concern. Perhaps they worry that bones and joints aren’t able to handle the weight or that big babies become more sedentary. Maybe it is a sign of metabolic issues. Who knows but you are completely correct to ask. OTOH, I think the doctors should be telling parents if their children are heavy. I was definitely told that my 3rd percentile child needed to eat lots of calorie dense foods. If the opposite is true, it is good to know as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder what kind of formula are you feeding him? A lot of formulas have bad ingredients in them ( corn syrup, sugars etc.). What is your size, are you overweight or your spouse?

SUGAR IS A KEY PART OF ALL INFANT FORMULAS!!!!!!!!!!!! Also it is in breastmilk.

[Anonymous]

Considering one of my babies was over 10 lbs at birth and was CERTAINLY 16 lbs by 4 months I can not imagine why this is an issue.

The entire JOB of infants is to gain weight and get bigger.

I would also change doctors, unless yours can make it clear WHY this is an issue. I would never ever in a million years follow advice to not feed your baby as much as they want without an incredibly persuasive argument as to the harm that is being done with extra milk each day.

[Anonymous]

My now 3.5 year old was born small- 6 lbs - and was like 17 lbs by 6 months. We called him the Michelin man! He totally slimmed out when he became an active toddler. Maybe get a second pediatricians opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is he really crying from hunger or is he crying from discomfort and you think he is hungry?
Could be overeating due to mild reflux. While some babies do not eat due to reflux, some sooth it by overeating.
A friend had a baby with reflux at the same time I had DD with severe reflux.
Her baby girl was really chubby and wanted to feed all the time. Mine was thin and FTT and refused to eat.
Did you notice any reflux like symptoms?

OP here. He does not have reflux. He eats but not an excessive amount. He only cries when he is hungry and when he is tired. He eats 5 times a day is fine when he isn’t eating. He eat right after he wakes up for a nap, plays, and then goes down for another nap. He is a happy baby and very active. He doesn’t spit up and he hasn’t had any issues with lots of crying. I have given him extra breastmilk and formula in a bottle and he stops when he is full.

DP here - maybe a new medication might help? or a different medication? If it was me, I wouldn't be worried about him gaining weight but more so that he might be eating to dull reflux pain. IDK I have terrible reflux and it really hurts. Eating does help. Maybe he will outgrow it soon.
It sounds like your doctor has done plenty of tests. I would seek a second opinion or ask your current ped if he thinks you should consider genetic testing at this point because it doesn't sound like there are many more medical tests to run.

What are you talking about? OP said he does NOT have reflux, yet you keep going on and on how you have it and medications. She said he doesn’t have it and displays no signs of having it. 32oz/day spread over 5 feeds for a baby that sleeps 11 hours at night is normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is he really crying from hunger or is he crying from discomfort and you think he is hungry?
Could be overeating due to mild reflux. While some babies do not eat due to reflux, some sooth it by overeating.
A friend had a baby with reflux at the same time I had DD with severe reflux.
Her baby girl was really chubby and wanted to feed all the time. Mine was thin and FTT and refused to eat.
Did you notice any reflux like symptoms?

OP here. He does not have reflux. He eats but not an excessive amount. He only cries when he is hungry and when he is tired. He eats 5 times a day is fine when he isn’t eating. He eat right after he wakes up for a nap, plays, and then goes down for another nap. He is a happy baby and very active. He doesn’t spit up and he hasn’t had any issues with lots of crying. I have given him extra breastmilk and formula in a bottle and he stops when he is full.

DP here - maybe a new medication might help? or a different medication? If it was me, I wouldn't be worried about him gaining weight but more so that he might be eating to dull reflux pain. IDK I have terrible reflux and it really hurts. Eating does help. Maybe he will outgrow it soon.
It sounds like your doctor has done plenty of tests. I would seek a second opinion or ask your current ped if he thinks you should consider genetic testing at this point because it doesn't sound like there are many more medical tests to run.

Can you not understand what OP said? She very much said he has no reflux.

Why would she’s need to do genetic testing? Her baby is fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like a lot. I’d be asking what the concern is - like why is that bad. Like what’s the big deal. And I’d ask what you’re supposed to do. Let your baby cry from hunger? Once you get answers then figure out if you need a new doctor. Maybe there is a health issue but the doctor would be able to tell you.

Agree with this! I would also ask if you should be concerned about a hormone imbalance or something — the idea of not feeding a hungry infant is scary to me.

This. That is too much. There may be a medical reason for it. Developmental pediatrician?

It’s not too much. Stop it.

[Anonymous]

That does sound like he is eating a lot. But get a second Dr opinion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like a lot. I’d be asking what the concern is - like why is that bad. Like what’s the big deal. And I’d ask what you’re supposed to do. Let your baby cry from hunger? Once you get answers then figure out if you need a new doctor. Maybe there is a health issue but the doctor would be able to tell you.

OP here. We have been tested for diabetes and a host of all things that are were all negative at each appointment.

I think he is just going to be big. My husband is 6’1” and his brother is 6’2”. His dad, his uncles, and his grandpa were all over 6ft. I’m petite at 5’2”, but my brother is 6’1”, my grandpa was almost 7ft tall, my moms dad was like 6’8”. I have a nephew who is 17 and he was also a bigger baby. He was almost 6ft by 13 years old. He is 17 and has a football player build. I have a cousin who had a big baby who was 23lbs by 6 months and is now a very tall and skinny 7 year old.

This sounds strange. Diabetes would make your baby lose weight, not gain it. Are you sure you're understanding what your doctor is testing for/ telling you?

OP here. They tested him for a host of things, including diabetes, thyroid issues, leptin resistance, etc. They tested for a host of conditions and metabolic disorders. All came back negative.

I have only thought about looking for a new pediatrician because the healthcare provider doing blood draws told me she though the pediatrician was crazy and that I should get a second opinion. We have been to them 3 times now and everything has come back normal each time.

Are you saying you have done three blood draws for this? I really hope I’m reading that wrong. If yes please get a second opinion and if they don’t agree there is a really good reason for all that testing I would 100 percent switch doctors. That’s so much testing for what sounds like a really minor concern. Excessive testing, especially blood draws from an infant is not something to be taken lightly.

[Anonymous]

I would get a second opinion and referral to a pediatric endocrinologist.

[Anonymous]

I would switch doctors. Some pediatricians are crazy. I had one say that toddlers shouldn't drink water, only Gatorade.

My kids did not stay in the same percentiles they were born into.

[Anonymous]

Oh my gosh op yes please get a new pediatrician. My baby was way more off the charts than this and NEVER had a blood draw or anything at ALL of concern. He is 4 now, a tall and big kid - he will likely have a stocky build like his dad. But he has totally found a groove and is normal. He was literally over 99th percentile for weight at 4 months and ped didn’t bat an eye because he was eating normally - like you 32 oz. Run from a ped basically telling you to put your baby on a diet?? What?? 32 oz is totally standard and my ped said normally to go over that during growth spurts as long as they come back down which mine always did. Follow your gut. Second opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder what kind of formula are you feeding him? A lot of formulas have bad ingredients in them ( corn syrup, sugars etc.). What is your size, are you overweight or your spouse?

Oh go away.

Seriously is this pp serious?? This baby is 80th percentile in height and weight there is nothing wrong with him and breastmilk is quite sweet actually. Lord.