Fat baby...dh doesn't like it. Is she too fat? - Infant Care (up to 18 months old) Message Board

liloulou · 05-05-2007, 07:29 PM

My little girl is exclusively breastfeeding and is gaining weight so rapidly. She was 8 pounds 9 ounces when she was born (so not a small baby) and now at 4 months she's about 16 pounds. She's a very chubby baby and everyone comments on how big she is and her thunder thighs. My dh is a little concerned. He wants to cut back on her feedings but I don't think that's a good idea. She eats 6 to7 times a day (essentially 3 hours give or take) and is on each breast for 5 minutes. Does this sound like it's too much? I figure she'll lose some of the weight when she starts crawling, but dh is worried she's too fat.

KeltoKel · 05-05-2007, 07:48 PM

She sounds healthy to me. If there was a problem, your pediatrician should have said something. My son was 16 lbs. at 4 months as well. He is long so he doesn't look fat. He is now 6 months and I am curious what his weight is. We have his check up next week.

I think this is a classic example of how we are so worried about weight in our society. Poor babies can't even have baby fat or we get nervous.

Tell hubby he needs to relax!

bxr35 · 05-05-2007, 11:33 PM

Your baby is just fine. BF babies tend to gain more weight than FF in the first 6 months and then less the next 6. My BF baby gained a pound a week for his first month, and was about 16 pounds at 4 months too -- though he started at 7 lb 1 oz. You don't want to limit food, because that's much more likely to lead to weight issues later on -- if she's hungry a lot, she'll feel like she has to eat as much as she can when the food is there instead of just as much as makes her full. If you tell him that messing around now is more likely to lead to an overweight child with unhealhty relationship to food, he'll probably back off.

sweetea13 · 05-05-2007, 11:45 PM

That doesn't sound like too much. Don't worry. My ds was born at 7 lbs 5 ounces and was 16 something at 4 months also. He has always been long too, but he always looked real chuncky especially his thighs. He thinned out later on. Don't worry your dd sounds perfect and you are not nursing too much, it's what she needs right now.

Seraph · 05-05-2007, 11:56 PM

Is your Dh starting early on the body image thing? If he is totally only concerned about her health and development, then I stand corrected. I can put him in touch with a multitude of women who had to grow up with fathers continually teasing and criticising them for being "fat", and they can tell him how much fun it all was.