Baby put on diet at 5 weeks....??? I need some opinions.

paigeivey · January 2016

so about one and a half weeks ago when my DS was 5.5 weeks he weighed a little over 9lbs. He was born at exactly 6 and left hospital around 5.2 lbs. well when I took him in to the doctor they ended up saying "he has nearly doubled his weight very quickly" and ended up putting him on a diet. At the time he was eating about 3 oz of formula every 1.5-2 hours. I thought this was normal for his age. Well they the. Stated they wanted me to start doing an oz of glucose water every other feeding so he only got formula every 4 hours. Glucose water consists of 1 tsp. sugar with 1 cup water boiled then cooled. This doesn't satisfy my baby at all and I have great concern that this isn't normal. I don't find him to be overweight or gaining too fast in my opinion but of course I am not a doctor either. Has anyone else been told this by their doctors and had to do this for their child. I just feel so bad for my baby I just want him to be satisfied and happy.

redfallon · January 2016

DS will be one month old tomorrow and was 10 lbs at his two weeks appt. he eats at least 3-4 oz every 2-3 hrs. Normal is about 2.5 oz per lb per day. He was 9 lb 12 oz at birth.

https://www.whattoexpect.com/first-year/how-much-formula-does-your-baby-need

cedixon2 · January 2016

I've never heard of that. My twins just packed on over 2.5 pounds in 3 weeks and their doctor was very happy with that. They take anywhere between 1 and 5 ounces of formula plus whatever they are getting out of me every 2 to 3 hours.

I think if you feel weirded out by your doctors advice, see if you can get a different Doctor or ask them why specifically they need sugar water.

Gingermom15 · January 2016

My baby tripled his birthweight by his two month appointment. He was 4.13 at birth. He's getting pretty chunky and his pediatrician is happy with his growth. I will say I have never heard of putting an infant on a diet and too much glucose water can lower a baby's sodium level.
If you are uncomfortable with your doctors advice, definitely get a second opinion.

TomekiaB · January 2016

Babies can only be at risk for weight issues based on parents weight, in the USA you cannot diagnose a child under 2 with being overweight. I'd ask for clarity and/or get a 2nd opinion.

kdoak2015 · January 2016

That's crazy, I would ask for another opinion. That's a fairly quick weight gain but I don't think the baby should be put on a diet. Can you do 3-4oz every 2-3 hours? My DD gets breast and then 2-4oz depending on her breast feed every 3-3.5hrs and is gaining fairly normal.

groovylocks · January 2016

What? Olive was 5lbs 14oz birth weight and 5 lbs 7 when she left. At five weeks she weighed 9lbs2oz and the doc was pleased and said she was happy olive was gaining. Olive is EBF.

Nobody ever implied she had a weight gain issue. Did they clarify why they felt this way?

angelicac06 · January 2016

Omg poor baby! My LO weighted.9 lbs, 15 oz at birth and at his 1 mo appt he weighted 12 lbs, 6 oz. The dr. said he was in the 97th percentile lol and kept reiterating I should feed him every 2-3 hours NOT on demand (he eats every 1-1and a half hours EBF) But she didn't put him on a diet! I would get a 2nd opinion if I were you.

Ps I am very petite (5'1, 115 lbs)as is my whole family and his bio fathers very tall and slim. We just have big babies! Lol

EEB88 · January 2016

I'm not sure how my son ate as I breastfed him but I had a doctor tell me that at 4 months he was too big and doomed to a life of obesity and diabetes (slight embellishment) anywho, I found another doctor. in my opinion babies only need milk until 6 months at the earliest. Seek a second opinion.

paigeivey · January 2016

Both the dad and I are very skinny with no one in our family with weight issues. I already separate it between 2-3 hours and he never really want more than 3 oz. he sometimes only eats 2 and no he just said that he was gaining weight to fast and that's why he wanted me to do that

ammnam14 · January 2016

I doubled my birth weight in the first month and there was no issue. DD gained one pound by her two week check up. Our pediatrician made it clear that it is extremely hard to overfeed a baby. They will let you know when they're done eating. Definitely get a second opinion. A newborn on a diet sounds insane to me.

preggoandglowing · January 2016

Uh oh! DD has similar stats and we've been concerned about whether she's overeating. She was 6.2 at birth and 5.8 when we left the hospital. We weighed her at home last week at 3 weeks (which is probably not 100% accurate) and she was 9! She eats 4-5 oz every 2-3 hours and looks very chubby with a double chin lol!

Her 1 month appointment is tomorrow so I'll come back and update if we're told something similar.

Mizuiro007 · January 2016

My babies have both had the opposite issue. With DD they kept insisting on inadequate volume as the culprit and insisted on supplementing as much formula as possible. Issue with this is that she was satisfied with bf and when we pumped refused more than 2-3 oz. If you pushed she'd vomit. The doctor still kept insisting and...whatever. She's still eating the same (EBF) and has obviously gained weight now (she's a little teapot).

DS on the other hand went from roughly 90th percentile across the board at birth to consistently 25-30th percentile and is completely healthy. So I'll stick with what another doctor told us. Babies each have their own growth rates and you really can't predict how that will go. Big babies can plateau and end up small, little babies can grow and end up big and often times early weight gain evens out with growth in height.

I'd be seeking another opinion if it was me.

KRH6829 · January 2016

Some babies are skinny and some babies are chubby with rolls. Its just how some babies are. I would get a second opinion ASAP so that you know you are doing what's right for your LO. As others have stated, I have never heard of a baby being put on a diet.

dec15mum · January 2016

I'm sorry but that's ridiculous, see another doctor. A baby shouldn't be put on a diet when there's no real concern.
It's a good thing your babe is gaining weight, they'll be growing too!
My son is almost 10 lbs and is almost 4 weeks, he was quite a big baby but he is in no way over weight and he can easily drink 5ozs every couple of hours.
Definitely seek a second opinion

amye02 · January 2016

I'm going to agree with PPs please get a second opinion, I have never heard of limiting an infant's feedings. Keep us posted

misamima · January 2016

Like many other PP's, I would get a second opinion.

ACarter0914 · January 2016

I've never heard of a diet for a newborn baby...second opinion

tesary · January 2016

I would also get a second opinion. DD was In the 100th percentile at 1 month and the doctor never had a concern.

momotheflyinglemur · January 2016

I think you need to be upfront with your doctor if his diagnose makes you feel uncomfortable. Ask him for the details of the benefits and risks of giving your baby sugar water. Then if you are still not comforted by his reasons, get a second opinion as other posters have said.

paigeivey · January 2016

Thanks guys! I have an appointment on the 22nd and I am going to bring it up then with my different doctor for a second opinion. I just feel he is a growing boy going through a spurt and I stop whe. He is full and I try every other method when he is upset first before feeding hoping to spread the times apart. I just feel that he was so small because of my size. I was 90-95 lbs pre pregnancy and I was back to my old weight within 3 weeks post op. We will see what happens!!

Gingermom15 · January 2016

you're not a doctor and neither am I, but I would honestly be very uncomfortable withholding food from an obviously hungry baby. You're his mom and you know him best, if you think the glucose water is a bad idea then give him real formula. Even if he is over eating, it won't hurt to hold off until his next appointment.

angelicac06 · January 2016

paigeivey said:
Thanks guys! I have an appointment on the 22nd and I am going to bring it up then with my different doctor for a second opinion. I just feel he is a growing boy going through a spurt and I stop whe. He is full and I try every other method when he is upset first before feeding hoping to spread the times apart. I just feel that he was so small because of my size. I was 90-95 lbs pre pregnancy and I was back to my old weight within 3 weeks post op. We will see what happens!!

@paigeivey I just returned from the pediatrician and at 7 weeks my LO now weighs 14 lbs, 8 ozs! And she still didn't put him on a diet. Lol

soccsm13 · January 2016

My son was (and still is at almost 3) in the 98-99th percentile and he never needed a diet. Sounds crazy to me!

JLS12JSP · January 2016

My doctor didn't put my LO one a diet but did say he felt like he was overeating and I should cut back to 4oz every 3hrs rather than 5. Which meant listening to my child scream because I was so concerned about over feeding him. However, my gut told me not to cut back and my son is 100x happier and crying MUCH less. Our doctor is laid back which I love and will not give me a hard time whatsoever. He was not concerned about my son being in the 97th percentile he was more concerned that I was feeding him every time he cried which I have learned sometimes he is just tired! He was 8lbs 10.5oz at birth and 10lbs 10oz at 3 weeks. He has his 7 week appointment soon and I'm assuming I'll see 13lbs on the scale... chunky babies are so cute

jenEP · January 2016

I would definitely get a second opinion. My DD was 6.14 at birth and at 5 weeks was 9.9! That's similar to your baby's stats. Doctor was pleased with her growth and didn't mention anything about her gaining too much.

Mizuiro007 · January 2016

paigeivey said:
Thanks guys! I have an appointment on the 22nd and I am going to bring it up then with my different doctor for a second opinion. I just feel he is a growing boy going through a spurt and I stop whe. He is full and I try every other method when he is upset first before feeding hoping to spread the times apart. I just feel that he was so small because of my size. I was 90-95 lbs pre pregnancy and I was back to my old weight within 3 weeks post op. We will see what happens!!

It sounds like you have a lot on your plate right now but how did the second opinion come out?

alysa03 · January 2016

I have the exact opposite problem. Doc put b on a high calorie diet with a little bit of rice cereal because he wasn't gaining weight. I am hoping he can come off it today and just back to a normal diet

i even asked my doc about it or how common it was to put babies on a diet. She said most doctors would rather see babies fat and happy so she has never seen it.
I hope you find the answers you are looking for.

TomekiaB · January 2016

I just had a thought for a compromise. Have you tried slower flow bottle nipples? I would consider the slower nipple with regular formula at the times you're supposed to feed less.

paigeivey · January 2016

Second opinion was to take him off the diet!

lalg28 · January 2016

My pediatrician said she would have been concerned about DS weight gain if he was formula fed, but since we're EBF, it was okay. Guess you can overfeed a FF baby but not EBF baby? Maybe since FF babies tend to have digestive issues with certain formulas that don't agree with them, the doctor thought the baby was comfort feeding? If so, your think they would just suggest a new formula? But I agree, second opinion was good to get. Some babies just eat more. My EBF baby gains constantly.

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Baby put on diet at 5 weeks....??? I need some opinions.

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