4 Month Old Gained 10lbs Since Birth - Pediatrician Concerned

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

OP here. He eats Enfamil NeuroPro RTF. We can switch if there is a better formula. We went with it because it was RTF and he liked it.

That formula is not very good. Maybe try a healthier option? Why can’t you breastfeed more so you don’t have to rely on formula? Maybe he is gaining too fast because he is on formula? Try feeding only breast milk and see if that helps.

The formula is fine. You can switch to powdered formula now OP. It’s significantly cheaper and the risk of powder is at there now that he is no longer a newborn.

OP here. The expense isn’t an issue. I prefer RTF over powered. A friend gave us some packets she didn’t need and I didn’t like it. I felt like it was messy and the powder never fully dissolved no matter how much we stirred it or shook the bottle. My son eats room temp and it’s much easier to just dump the liquid in a bottle and feed.

You have to boil the water and let the powder sit. You’re wasting your money.

She isn't asking your opinion on how to mix powdered formula. She doesn't even use it. Go away.

[Anonymous]

Get him screened for medical causes like prader-willi or other genetic or endocrinological disorders. Beyond that find another doctor that won’t fat shame a 4 month old

[Anonymous]

OP, what did the doctor suggest you do? How frustrating!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What was his percentile? My 6 month old weighs 20lbs, but is 90th percentile. I actually am at a loss for why she weighs so much. She eats the exact same amount as my other babies- 16oz (5oz, 6oz and then a 5oz) during the day at daycare and she sleeps 12 hours at night, so it's not like she eats 24/7. She weighed 8,11 at birth. Totally breastfed. All I can think is that she's getting fattier milk? Or she just turns more of it into fat. I'm interested in it because she's my 3rd exclusively breastfed baby. I am losing weight like crazy though and it wasn't as easy before for me.

Anyways, my pediatrician was pleased at how plump she is. Not one word about it being negative. She's 85% tall and 90% weight. I'm small and petite, but dh is very tall and skinny. My other kids are just like DH. I LOOOOOVE her rolls.

I am surprised a pediatrician would comment on a baby being large... normally they're only concerned with small babies. Toddlers can get big from not eating nutritious food and filling up on snacks and fast food, but not babies.

OP here. He is 85th percentile for weight and 81th percentile for height.

Then what’s the concern? It’s not like he’s 99/off the chart. I’d get a new ped.

[Anonymous]

Folks should just start giving op recommendations for a new pediatrician.

[Anonymous]

OP I don’t have time to read whole thread but for comparison, my daughter is just shy of 2 mo and has gained 5 lb over birthweight. It seems like a lot to me but I am EBF and have no idea how much she eats. She is now in about the 75th percentile and was born in about the 40th percentile. This doesn’t seem odd to me at all and the pediatrician has always just been thrilled with her weight gain?

My son was also born in the 40th percentile, dropped down to the 10th for a couple months, and by 6 months was also in… the 75th percentile. Pediatrician was pleased. I guess I don’t understand what the fuss is about regarding your baby’s gain.

[Anonymous]

Does your 6’2 husband come to the appointments or is the doctor just seeing a tiny woman?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get him screened for medical causes like prader-willi or other genetic or endocrinological disorders. Beyond that find another doctor that won’t fat shame a 4 month old

PW babies are usually small..the appetite issues do not start for a few years.

[Anonymous]

I do not remember the numbers but my brother in law was very big at around 6 months...and then barely gained weight until 2. He evened out.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So average 2.5lb weight gain a month? Or a little more than half a pound a week? I thought infants (under 3ish months at least) were supposed to gain 0.5oz-2oz a day. Sounds like your baby is averaging a little over an ounce a day. To me that seems within the realm of normal? Also 16lb is in the normal range for a 4mo old baby- is the rate of growth incredibly fast or something? It can't be that fast, with the amount you state the baby has gained total (2.5lb a month) and the fact that the doctor has brought this up at each visit. I'm confused what the issue is honestly.

OP here. The pediatrician said that they don’t usually see the rapid growth in a lower weight baby. It is more normal to see in a 7-9lb baby. My baby was 6lbs 7oz after we left the hospital and just rapidly grew.

I mean I appreciate that your pediatrician is concerned and did some testing if they were concerned- but if you try to withhold some ounces and your baby cries and gives hunger cues, then, feed them! (Like you are doing). Don't mess with your baby's great sleep patterns and overall happy/active moods by feeding them less than they are asking for. 32oz is about what each of my (formula fed) babies wanted around that age. I do remember being told not to give more than 36oz a day typically and that once they were hungrier for more than that I should be giving solids. But 32oz seems fine? I wouldn't worry.

OP here. I tried cutting ounces by 4oz at 2 months ( he was eating 28oz/day) and he screamed and cried so I gave in. He was eating up to 40 ounces during the 3 month growth spurt but then settled on 32oz/day. I have tried cutting by 4oz Friday and yesterday but he screamed and cried and didn’t sleep that well so I added it back today and he was his usually happy self.

Do you think there is any chance he might be suffering from reflux? As an adult with severe reflux, an empty stomach can be extremely painful. Like it feels like my stomach is on fire. I can’t even imagine how that must feel to an infant. One thing that helps is eating. So it might be that he does eat more until he feels very full bc that feels better. Idk just a thought

[Anonymous]

This sounds perfectly fine? My kids were smaller than that at birth and both had to get “caught up.” It’s around the 73rd percentile on “weight for length,” so very normal and solid. I don’t get these pediatricians who want babies who were born on the smaller side to stay small seemingly forever, that’s crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So average 2.5lb weight gain a month? Or a little more than half a pound a week? I thought infants (under 3ish months at least) were supposed to gain 0.5oz-2oz a day. Sounds like your baby is averaging a little over an ounce a day. To me that seems within the realm of normal? Also 16lb is in the normal range for a 4mo old baby- is the rate of growth incredibly fast or something? It can't be that fast, with the amount you state the baby has gained total (2.5lb a month) and the fact that the doctor has brought this up at each visit. I'm confused what the issue is honestly.

OP here. The pediatrician said that they don’t usually see the rapid growth in a lower weight baby. It is more normal to see in a 7-9lb baby. My baby was 6lbs 7oz after we left the hospital and just rapidly grew.

I mean I appreciate that your pediatrician is concerned and did some testing if they were concerned- but if you try to withhold some ounces and your baby cries and gives hunger cues, then, feed them! (Like you are doing). Don't mess with your baby's great sleep patterns and overall happy/active moods by feeding them less than they are asking for. 32oz is about what each of my (formula fed) babies wanted around that age. I do remember being told not to give more than 36oz a day typically and that once they were hungrier for more than that I should be giving solids. But 32oz seems fine? I wouldn't worry.

OP here. I tried cutting ounces by 4oz at 2 months ( he was eating 28oz/day) and he screamed and cried so I gave in. He was eating up to 40 ounces during the 3 month growth spurt but then settled on 32oz/day. I have tried cutting by 4oz Friday and yesterday but he screamed and cried and didn’t sleep that well so I added it back today and he was his usually happy self.

Do you think there is any chance he might be suffering from reflux? As an adult with severe reflux, an empty stomach can be extremely painful. Like it feels like my stomach is on fire. I can’t even imagine how that must feel to an infant. One thing that helps is eating. So it might be that he does eat more until he feels very full bc that feels better. Idk just a thought

OP said her baby eats 5 times a day - 4 6oz feeds and one 8oz feed. He sleeps 11 hours at night. That’s normal for a baby who sleeps that long at night. They need to eat more calories during the day and 32oz/day is normal amount for a baby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So average 2.5lb weight gain a month? Or a little more than half a pound a week? I thought infants (under 3ish months at least) were supposed to gain 0.5oz-2oz a day. Sounds like your baby is averaging a little over an ounce a day. To me that seems within the realm of normal? Also 16lb is in the normal range for a 4mo old baby- is the rate of growth incredibly fast or something? It can't be that fast, with the amount you state the baby has gained total (2.5lb a month) and the fact that the doctor has brought this up at each visit. I'm confused what the issue is honestly.

OP here. The pediatrician said that they don’t usually see the rapid growth in a lower weight baby. It is more normal to see in a 7-9lb baby. My baby was 6lbs 7oz after we left the hospital and just rapidly grew.

I mean I appreciate that your pediatrician is concerned and did some testing if they were concerned- but if you try to withhold some ounces and your baby cries and gives hunger cues, then, feed them! (Like you are doing). Don't mess with your baby's great sleep patterns and overall happy/active moods by feeding them less than they are asking for. 32oz is about what each of my (formula fed) babies wanted around that age. I do remember being told not to give more than 36oz a day typically and that once they were hungrier for more than that I should be giving solids. But 32oz seems fine? I wouldn't worry.

OP here. I tried cutting ounces by 4oz at 2 months ( he was eating 28oz/day) and he screamed and cried so I gave in. He was eating up to 40 ounces during the 3 month growth spurt but then settled on 32oz/day. I have tried cutting by 4oz Friday and yesterday but he screamed and cried and didn’t sleep that well so I added it back today and he was his usually happy self.

Do you think there is any chance he might be suffering from reflux? As an adult with severe reflux, an empty stomach can be extremely painful. Like it feels like my stomach is on fire. I can’t even imagine how that must feel to an infant. One thing that helps is eating. So it might be that he does eat more until he feels very full bc that feels better. Idk just a thought

OP said her baby eats 5 times a day - 4 6oz feeds and one 8oz feed. He sleeps 11 hours at night. That’s normal for a baby who sleeps that long at night. They need to eat more calories during the day and 32oz/day is normal amount for a baby.

OP also said that she had filled the bottle with more milk and he will refuse to eat and stop when he is full. I don’t think she is overfeeding.

[Anonymous]

My second baby gained this much. My third is on track to gain that much, and the first might’ve as well (can’t remember). All EBF. They slowed their weight gain after about 9 months, and both kids are totally average/slim toddler and preschooler now. The ped was always happy about their weight gain.

[Anonymous]

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?