Baby gaining weight too fast

Lalaladybird

My 5 week old baby is taking 5 oz of formula every 3 hours or so and gaining weight really fast. My first child was like this too and ended up being a really chubby baby at the top of the centile charts. Should I try to stretch the feeds out a bit or just carry on?

(I breastfed for 3 weeks but then it all went horrible wrong sadly)

Mojisola

What has happened to your first child since? Has he/she stayed at the top of the charts? If the weight sorted itself out once he/she became mobile, then I wouldn't worry. Somebody has to be at the top of the chart!

redstararnie76

Hi,
I wouldn't worry too much at this stage - I've been told a number of times that babies don't know what eating disorders are, so will never starve themselves or overeat; what they consume, they need. Your baby may just be having a growth spurt, though to be honest I don't really think 5oz IS a huge amount.
If you are really worried, try keeping a diary to show how much he has at each feed, and how many feeds a day he has. Babies vary a lot - I believe they recommend (the milk companies) about 25 oz a day for between 4 and 8 week olds, but this is just a guide. My 11 week old took considerably less than that at 4 weeks, but by 8 weeks he had more like 30 oz a day.
If you keep a diary, you can show the health visitor and see what they say too, but normally at this stage they just want to be sure that a healthy baby is gaining around 6-8oz per week.

alleycat`

Is your little one also near the top of the chart for height as well?

My DS (approx 20 months now) is off the top of both the weight and height charts at the moment and this has pretty much stayed the case since 3 months of age.

He isn't off the top of either chart by much but someone always has to be at the top and bottom for them to make a graph of averages.

So long as they are otherwise healthy and even out in the longer term does it matter?
As RedStar said it is incredibly unlikely/Rare that a baby would over feed itself.

yummymummy1987_2

Tbh im sure your little one is perfectly fine, i imagine it would be hard to stretch the feeds out wouldnt it? I know my milk monsters wouldnt have been pleased at waiting
.
My son was about a cm above the centile line when he was born (11lb 10oz) and he carried on along that line until he was active and then has stayed pretty much the same hes now 19 months and about 29lbs nigh on the same as most the babies in my birth group. I was told by the HV they worry when a child is born small and gets overally large and goes further and further up the centile but not if a childs born big and stays off. so id have a quick word with them but i imagine LO is perfect as they are

Take care

[Deleted User]

The other thing that struck me is are they thirsty, in this heat it might just be water they need. You could try offering some cooled or warm boiled water and see what they think of that.

xmaslolly76

I will just Echo Baileys post try giving a bottle of water at 1 or 2 feeds i found bubs has been drinking for england lately getting through 6-7 bottles when at 9 months he should be having 3-4 a day so i switched a couple to water with the occasional juice bottle and he has been fine :-)

claireac

Just as a baby won't let itself starve, I also believe they won't over feed just for the hell of it.

My ds1 was a really chubby and hungry baby!! He was always at the top of the charts, and I even had a doctor tell me he was fat.
He soon grew out of it and went entirely the other way - tall and skinny!!

ciderwithrosie_2

Lalaladybird wrote: »

My 5 week old baby is taking 5 oz of formula every 3 hours or so and gaining weight really fast. My first child was like this too and ended up being a really chubby baby at the top of the centile charts. Should I try to stretch the feeds out a bit or just carry on?

(I breastfed for 3 weeks but then it all went horrible wrong sadly)

Babies are meant to be chubby - they need some fat deposits to ensure their joints and bones develop properly, the brain uses huge amounts of saturated fat/cholesterol to grow along with a miriad of other processes all going on behind the scenes. I can't find the article that explained why it's important at the moment but will post if I do.

regards CWR

msb5262

Lalaladybird wrote: »

I breastfed for 3 weeks but then it all went horrible wrong sadly

OP, if you want to breastfeed your baby, it's not too late to re-establish breastfeeding.

If this is the case, I'd advise you to contact the National Childbirth Trust and ask for a breastfeeding counsellor.
The services of a counsellor are free and confidential.

Just thought you might like to know.

MsB

skintchick

ciderwithrosie wrote: »

Babies are meant to be chubby - they need some fat deposits to ensure their joints and bones develop properly, the brain uses huge amounts of saturated fat/cholesterol to grow along with a miriad of other processes all going on behind the scenes. I can't find the article that explained why it's important at the moment but will post if I do.

regards CWR

This may be true (although I've read recently that it may not be) but I understand FF babies can be in danger of eating too much because formula is one-size-fits all, so if OP is concerned she should talk to her HV for individual advice.

But it is probably fine. As someone has said, there have to be babies who are at the top of the charts.