My nearly exclusively breastfed 12 month old son (he eats solids on ocassion, although he's not always interested) is VERY large. He weighs nearly 40 lbs. and is wearing 3 year old clothes. His waist is so chubby though that he can really only wear stretchy sleepers and sweat pants... he's a round meatball!
He's gone to all of his regular checkups and at his last one (8 months) the doctor sais he was just a big boy. WAY off the charts in both weight and length. But lately everyone has been stressing me out. They think that it has something to do with my breastfeeding him on demand and think that I should wean him now and monitor his food intake.
I have two questions really. My questions are...
Is it possible to overfeed a breastfed baby?
and
Are there benefits to nursing beyond the first birthday?
Thanks.
2007-02-02 13:34:42 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Other - Pregnancy & Parenting
I think you should start weaning him off, and start encouraging more solids and try to get him to be more active....take him to play dates and to the park and things.....he might be just chubby or it might be in his genes but i have a two year old and she only weights 30lb....i think him being so large is bad for him and in the long run it could really hurt him......your doctor should be more concerned about it...i know mine is (my daughter is short for her age) he is always monitoring her.....maybe switch doctors or check into getting into a support group for bigger babies, but you should really start to watch his diet, it might only get worse as he gets older and that is bad for his health and once he gets into school he will get teased and you dont want that.
2007-02-02 13:44:03 · answer #1 · answered by blah blah blah 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's possible to overfeed an infant, but at 12 months old he should know when he's full so really you can't overfeed him at this age.
Even if you *could* overfeed him, he wouldn't be 40 lbs. at 12 months. He might be around 25-30, but no kid would be that big from having a little extra breastmilk in his diet.
Get him checked for a thyroid problem. Sounds to me like he has a very slow metabolism and his body can't burn fat as fast as it should.
2007-02-02 21:53:40 · answer #2 · answered by CelebrateMeHome 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think you need to worry at all!!! My son just turned four recently and looking back I couldn't believe how FAT he was...lololol...He literally had rolls you couldn't count and celulite on his butt before he was even a year old. Now he is 4 and still has to wear 3T clothes. Your son is getting to the age now where he will be walking around a lot and being a lot more active and before you know it most of the baby fat will fall off.. You feed that baby all he wants. When they are that young they really do eat as much as they need to not just because it's there! Nurse as long as you want to and don't let anyone tell you anything different! (by the way, this is hubby's account-I am mommy lol)
2007-02-02 21:51:29 · answer #3 · answered by TRAVIS W 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's NOT possible to overfeed a breastfed baby. If he was in the really high percentile for weight and not height, that would be a consideration but he's just big all over. You want to know my honest opinion? I think that the percentile tests are stupid and make parents worry and/or feel bad. Your child is FINE.
2007-02-02 21:40:22 · answer #4 · answered by Trouble's Mama 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
These answers are largely ignorant except one. I have worked with DOZENS of moms with overweight babies who didnt end up overweight later in life. 75% of the time the problem was a lack of activity,or lack of crying(obviously the latter is a pleasure!) If a baby eats and eats, even breastmilk which is MUCH healthier than formula (kudos to you for doing it so long) and isnt sufficiently active, he's going to pack on the pounds. No reason to suspect a metabolic disorder! Ive seen worse and later in life, they grew into their weight.
2007-02-05 17:24:40 · answer #5 · answered by jamiedoula2000 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
look some of these answers are horrible and stupid. so here is what i think. there is no way you can over feed a breast feed child. #1 your body only produces so much in a day.#2 babies tend to gain weight. my cousin is underweight and really small but she eats all the time and she is perfectly healthy. As long as your child is healty and happy i wouldent worry to much. besides as your child gets older and taller the weight should even out or disapear. latter on if he gains alot of weight then i would consider seeing a doctor and puting him in a activity like soccer or a martial art.
2007-02-02 23:13:46 · answer #6 · answered by goddessjessie2007 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No...it isnt possible to overfeed a breastfed baby...HOWEVER...most breastfed babies are fatter than bottle fed babies ...this usually peaks around 6 mos. and then begins to decline...(because many moms start solids around this time and nursing begins to taper off) and by a year (with baby's walking) the rest of the pudge just dissapears.....so, in part they are right about the breastfeeding making him fat....BUT to that i say...and i'll bet there are moms who agree ....its perfectly OK....so if he begins to thin out at age two rather than age 1??? what does it matter? OK, you need to do some strength training to lug him around LOL....but really, if he is happy breastfeeding and so are you...so be it....i doubt this will last much longer...he will get interested in solid food and if he isnt walking...he will and that will get him moving ...once he learns to walk...his weight will even out. Another thing to consider....is the relative weight of the rest of the family....if you and his Dad arent fat...he wont be either...not for much longer anyway....
The benefits to waiting past 1 year to wean are monumental...the World Health Organization claims that the WORLDWIDE average age to wean is 6 years old.....babies breastfed for two years have much lower rates of food allergies and asthma.....and the bottom line is...you only get this one chance with him...its up to you...not relatives or doctors to tell you how you want to spend this time with him.
hope this helped...good luck with your roly-poly!
2007-02-02 23:13:54 · answer #7 · answered by motherhendoulas 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Even human breast milk has fat in it (unfortunately, since it is healthier than cow's milk for nursing infants).
Maybe it's time to start weaning him off it.
If he has weight problems now and can't get rid of those extra pounds it will be a problem for him later on in his childhood.
2007-02-02 21:51:39 · answer #8 · answered by daryavaush 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
you have to figure that out for you; but the longer you nurse the harder it will be for the baby to stop and miss out on the closeness; you probably should start to wean so to make it less traumatic on him; charts have changed over the years; if he is healthy , active and growing, those are the things that matter.
2007-02-02 21:45:36 · answer #9 · answered by sml 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You should see your pediatrician. My daughter is almost 5 and weighs 38 pounds.
2007-02-02 22:21:56 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋