Supplement with water to control weight?

[@llli*jerbearmama]

This is my first time posting. I am a first time mom of a 5 month old boy who currently weighs 21.5 lbs. He is in the 75% for height as well. At our last ped. visit, my pediatrician told me my son was 5lbs over weight and gave me a feeding schedule.

My son up to this point has been exclusively breastfed. No bottles, no solids. My ped told me to nurse my son 4 times a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner and before bed) and feed him baby food after nursing for 3 of the meals. She told me not to nurse him at all at night and to give him 2oz of water to hold him off if he wants to nurse at night or between meals.

I have so much anxiety now when he wants to nurse at night and I've been trying to limit his nursing (b/t meals) to just a few minutes (literally no more than 2 or 3 minutes) just to comfort him then I swap out with a pacifier. Sometimes it works and sometimes my little one won't stop crying until I let him nurse. The doctor said he doesn't need the calories at night and is just crying b/c he wants to get his way. I don't want to be the reason my son is over weight. Should I be worried? Is it worth it to fight him and supplement with water to try and keep his weight in a more normal range?

[@llli*joe.s.mom]

Your pediatrician is just dead wrong. An exclusively breastfed baby CANNOT become "overweight." It's just impossible. http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns...t-toomuch.html

It's very normal for BF'd babies to shoot up in the charts in the first six months, and then plateau out between six months and a year. It's textbook, in fact. Formula-fed babies, on the other hand, tend to continue to grow at the same rates for the second half of the first year, and can be overfed.

My baby was 24 lbs at six months, in the 90s as far as percentiles for both weight and height, but my doctor wasn't concerned. He is still a big boy, but his weight gain slowed down considerably, and at almost three years, is just shy of 35 lbs (down in the percentiles to the 60-70s). Again, very normal for a breastfed kid. At first they pack on the chub, but once they get moving, they slim down considerably.

Don't limit your baby's breastmilk intake! Don't supplement with water!!!!!! This is terrible, terrible advice that would only apply to a formula fed child. I normally wouldn't be saying this, but get a second opinion, find a new doctor, or just read up on it and blow off your doc. He's just flat out, 100% WRONG about this.

[@llli*jerbearmama]

Wow, thanks for the link. It is almost the exact OPPOSITE of what the doctor told me to do! Crazy. My husband and I were both big babies, but are healthy active adults now. I guess I shouldn't stress too much about his weight. Being a first time mom, I take everything the doctor (and my mom ) says to heart.

I did introduce solids this week because of what the doctor said. My son seemed to really enjoy them. I'm guessing I should keep up with those and still nurse when my LO wants to (and nurse before solids).

[@llli*mommal]

Your pediatrician is just dead wrong. An exclusively breastfed baby CANNOT become "overweight." It's just impossible. http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns...t-toomuch.html

It's very normal for BF'd babies to shoot up in the charts in the first six months, and then plateau out between six months and a year. It's textbook, in fact. Formula-fed babies, on the other hand, tend to continue to grow at the same rates for the second half of the first year, and can be overfed.

My baby was 24 lbs at six months, in the 90s as far as percentiles for both weight and height, but my doctor wasn't concerned. He is still a big boy, but his weight gain slowed down considerably, and at almost three years, is just shy of 35 lbs (down in the percentiles to the 60-70s). Again, very normal for a breastfed kid. At first they pack on the chub, but once they get moving, they slim down considerably.

Don't limit your baby's breastmilk intake! Don't supplement with water!!!!!! This is terrible, terrible advice that would only apply to a formula fed child. I normally wouldn't be saying this, but get a second opinion, find a new doctor, or just read up on it and blow off your doc. He's just flat out, 100% WRONG about this.

x 1000

And JoMo is being nice. I think your pediatrician is an idiot and her advice on nursing and solids is 100% pure BS. (Sorry to be crude, but this sort of thing makes me mad!) When a baby is at the higher end of both the height and weight chart, that implies that the baby is proportional. That's a good thing!

My girls have both been at the top of the charts for both height and weight, and my doc never recommended limiting nursing or early introduction of large quantities of solid foods. Both girls "leaned out" in the 6-12 month period, becoming skinnier while continuing to grow in height.

Are you spoon-feeding? If so, you might want to search the solids forum for info on "baby-led solids" or "baby-led weaning". It's a very different approach to solids which is very compatible with breastfeeding.

[@llli*joe.s.mom]

There is no reason to introduce solids this early, either. Different parents make different choices about this, but I was happy I waited until after six months (with my enormous chunk of a baby, remember ). So much less stress. He didn't really take to solids until quite a bit later anyway (10 months-ish). By that time, he could eat whatever we were eating. So much easier.

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

Ugh. Hooribbllleeee advice there. Your baby is fine. One of mine was the same way at 5 months and is a Long and lean kid.

[@llli*workermom]

Hello there!

I have only posted a few times but I just felt like I wanted to chime in today on this . . .

I agree with all of the ladies above!!!! My son too was EBF and chubbed out at 5 months. I think he weighed about 26 lbs. Very. Chubby! My pediatrician also told me pretty much the exact same thing!! But what is the deal? Why are pediatricians giving out such poor advice? It seems to be more the norm these days, no? What do some pediatricians have against the boob?? So weird.

Anyway, just keep nursing, nursing, nursing that boy. It is really all he needs. Don't supplement and don't bother with a paci (unless you really feel that you need a break). Solids can totally wait too until at least 6 months. No rush. I was SO worried about my son "getting it" with the solids and used up way too much energy on it. He took to them in his own time and is feeding himself with a spoon and fork now at 17 months.

Don't worry about the night nursing, go for it! Night nursing is awesome if you are ok with it. Keeps your prolactin levels up so menstrual cycle at bay, milk up, baby content and parents "mostly" rested . My son still night nurses. It is THE only way for us to sleep. (Why don't pediatricians ever discuss these benefits with their patients??)

Sounds like you are doing an amazing job with your son. Keep going because this baby phase goes by so quickly. You'll blink and that boy will be running and jumping toddler!!

Thanks so much for sharing! Ah, I totally miss that age . . .

[@llli*scienceteachermommy]

DS1 was a big chunk of a baby--possibly even bigger than yours. Now? He can pull slim pants off without unbuttoning them. The boy has no butt and you can play his ribs like a xylophone.

Remember too, especially if you decide to stay with this pediatrician (which, personally, I wouldn't) is that your ped is not at your house--do what you think is best for your child.

[@llli*pianosinger]

Another mom of a very-chunky-baby-turned-lean-and-active-toddler here!

[@llli*melissawoods]

I am honestly shocked. Your pediatrician is unbelievably wrong, as the others have stated. you cannot overfeed a bf baby.

My son was 20 lbs at 6 months. At 13 months he's 23 lbs. Breastfed babies often grow very quickly in the first 6 months and then lean out when they become mobile. I'd almost find a new dr. If you would have followed that advice your supply could have plummeted from scheduling and caused early weaning.