4 Month Old Gained 10lbs Since Birth - Pediatrician Concerned

[Anonymous]

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.

That sounds weird. My child was just under 7 pounds and gained weight rapidly after 4 months. He was drinking about 30 ounces of milk a day as an infant.

[Anonymous]

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

This. She said she’s in Northern Virginia.
I’d seriously never go back to the current ped. Some doctors are just bad, like in every other profession.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't be too concerned...Both of my children were average weight at birth (7.4 and 7.8 oz, respectively) and they both grew quite quickly in the first 6 months (they were 70% bf and 30% formula). They were both in the 90-97 percentile for height and the 70-80 percentile for weight.

I'd get a second opinion and if there is agreement then I'd get things checked out for peace of mind, but I wouldn't curb feeding yet if your baby is showing hunger cues.

I'm small and thin and my husband is tall and thin are our children were big babies. Some people were surprised that my first baby was so big and sometimes they even said things about my older child's weight when she was very little that bordered on inappropriate. Like beyond. Not sure if you're getting comments too, but ignore them.

[Anonymous]

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

Yeah I wonder if your husband came with you if your ped would be showing such concern about weight. Being 85 percentile for weight and 81 percentile for height seems fine. He's tall. 6 ounces for such a tall baby seems comparatively underweight and he had some catching up to do.

I think you should see another pediatrician, but I think next time get your husband to go in with you and then ask whether 6 ounces for an 81 percentile for height baby wasn't comparatively small and didn't he have to catch up a bit. See how they respond when big dad is there also.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Don’t feed Enfamil. It’s made with chemicals that are not good for a baby.

[Anonymous]

I have no idea if this is an issue or not, but if you are doubting your pediatrician you should get a second opinion. I think it's important to be able to trust your pediatrician.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

Yeah I wonder if your husband came with you if your ped would be showing such concern about weight. Being 85 percentile for weight and 81 percentile for height seems fine. He's tall. 6 ounces for such a tall baby seems comparatively underweight and he had some catching up to do.

I think you should see another pediatrician, but I think next time get your husband to go in with you and then ask whether 6 ounces for an 81 percentile for height baby wasn't comparatively small and didn't he have to catch up a bit. See how they respond when big dad is there also.

Good luck!

I mean, being born at 6 pounds for such a tall baby seems comparatively underweight and he had to catch up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t feed Enfamil. It’s made with chemicals that are not good for a baby.

Yup, like oligosaccarides, glycosylated proteins and xanthine oxidoreductase.

Oh wait. Those are the chemicals in human breast milk.

Everything is made with chemicals. Nothing in formula is "not good" for a baby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t feed Enfamil. It’s made with chemicals that are not good for a baby.

Yup, like oligosaccarides, glycosylated proteins and xanthine oxidoreductase.

Oh wait. Those are the chemicals in human breast milk.

Everything is made with chemicals. Nothing in formula is "not good" for a baby.

+1. Many people talk about oils in formula but that’s how they get the fatty acids similar to breast milk. Corn syrup is used as a replacement because it’s more easily digested by babies who have issues with lactose.

[Anonymous]

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.

Odd, I see this all of the time in low weight babies, they often gain very quickly. I'd find a new ped, barring some other very odd finding there's no way anyone should be recommending you limit feedings in a 4 month old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

Yeah I wonder if your husband came with you if your ped would be showing such concern about weight. Being 85 percentile for weight and 81 percentile for height seems fine. He's tall. 6 ounces for such a tall baby seems comparatively underweight and he had some catching up to do.

I think you should see another pediatrician, but I think next time get your husband to go in with you and then ask whether 6 ounces for an 81 percentile for height baby wasn't comparatively small and didn't he have to catch up a bit. See how they respond when big dad is there also.

Good luck!

This. Send your dh in with the baby one time and see what happens, before you get a new pediatrician.

[Anonymous]

The nurse telling you the pediatrician is crazy is a pretty good indicator that it’s time to switch to a new doctor. Like others, I’m puzzled by the doctor’s concern. My youngest was 7lbs at birth and 30 lbs at 12 months, and our pediatricians never expressed any concern with his rapid growth. And he’s a beanpole now as a teen.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

One of my kids followed a similar growth pattern and Dr guessed that she may have been slightly growth restricted in utero (there were other possible indicia of this as well, but nothing definitive) and catching up. At 7, she’s like 85%ile for height and 75%ile for weight. Actually looks slimish. Nothing weird at all.