Is my baby too big for his age?

Amanda - posted on 12/17/2010

Lol my son is a little less than 4 months and is about 19lbs and 27 inches he wears 12 month clothes. dont worry

Kristy - posted on 12/15/2010

When my boy was 4 and a half months old he weighed 17lbs 12oz and was 26.6 inches long. He was 9lbs 4 and a half oz at birth and now at a year old he is 25lbs 2oz and is 31.6 inches tall. Don't worryif he is big, their is nothing wrong with him :)

Ashley - posted on 12/15/2010

My son went for his 4 month check-up (at about 4 & 1/2 months) and he was 17 lbs 12 oz and I think around the same length... He wears 6-9 month size clothing. Some people say things like "oh he's big" and comments like that, but I think he is just a big, healthy size baby! Don't let it get to you. :)

Alicia - posted on 12/11/2010

Aslong as ur dr isnt concerned u shouldnt b either. My 3 month old is 25in and weighs 18lbs but his dr says he's growin wonderfully so Im satisfied, I love having a bigger baby more cheeks to kiss

Bridgette - posted on 12/09/2010

Dont worry about it if u start worrying what people say then u will worry about what people think and will make your life miserable. Someone told me my son was tall for his age i took that as a compliment rather then a bad thing. All babies are different the grow differently and have different shapes and sizes. Dont let them put u down or let them get 2 u if its bad just ignore them.

Liz - posted on 11/14/2010

If your doctor isn't concerned about your babies development then I wouldn't be concerned. My youngest is 13.5 pounds and 26 inches. He just turned four months old on the 12th of November.

Misty - posted on 11/14/2010

All babies are different and it also depends on how big they were at birth. People tell me my daughter, who is 9 months old but measures and weighs that of a 5-6 month old,is way too smal but they were not there when she was born. She was 5 lbs 2 oz nad 18 inches.

Catherine - posted on 11/12/2010

I don't think a baby can b too big they grow and gain weight at there own there really isnt to much to worry about unless they are gaining too much at a long period of time. doctors weigh babies to see if they are growing at a good pace or gaining weight to much besides they usually lose it when they start moving around. many people made fun of my daughter because she was gaining alot of weight at first babies are suppose to b chubby I'd worry if they werent gaining enough weight. my daughter weighed 6 lbs 8 oz. at birth by 4 mos she was almost 16 lbs. now at 8 mos. she is 27 lbs. and looks just fine.

Nikkole - posted on 11/09/2010

my daughter is 4months and she weighs about 14pounds and shes 20inch long so she looks so chubby but i dont think hes big at all ! when my sister was 5months she weighed 28pounds she was a good size baby and she lost all her baby fat when she started walking!

Brooke - posted on 11/09/2010

I agree and disagree with some of the points you are all making. From what I have researched infants should stay roughly along the same line in growth charts. If they are born spot on in the 50th percentile then they should stay around that. My daughter was in the third and has always stayed between 3rd and 25th. If there is rapid drop or gain then I would seak professional advice.
Laura, I wasn't saying that this child was obese, simply that it could affect weight issues later in life.
As for formula I am happy to say that I gave up. I couldn't do it, I tried and failed. So formula it was :-) I wasn;t going to let something that was going wrong get the best of me, I looked for advice of close family and doctors. I was told there was medication I could take to boost my supply or I could switch to formula. I took the easy way out because I didn't need the stress as a mother of a 3 month old princess. Thats my story, go on tell me how dreadful it was on put my daughter on poison.
I didn't start her on solids until 6 months, I have seen, actually seen both sides to this story. I know adults who were fed from 3 weeks old, no allergies no health issues. BUT I also know some who have digestive issues, constant constipation. Weight issues. etc. So this is a mothers choice, dont grill her for it, I agree yes that every parent should learn as much as they can about there options but if they choose one that someone else considers wrong then keep your unwanted opinions to yourself...

Alisha - posted on 11/06/2010

As long as he's only getting breastmilk or formula I'm sure he's fine! Unless you started some baby cereal once a day or something. Some babies are just big, but I can't remember how much my daughter weighed at that age she was 9 lb. 5 oz when she was born and she is usually above the 70th or 80th percentile for her weight but that's because she started out big. I wouldn't worry about it because I knew of a huge chubby baby and when he grew up he was skinny so it really doesn't mean anything!

Sarh - posted on 11/01/2010

A dr's word is pretty powerful! The oatmeal along w/drinking water like nonstop! Especially while pregnant, I became dehydrated w/my daughter and started having contractions 2 months early which caused me to dilate to 3cm for the last 2 months. Oh that would be rough for me, meat not looking good anymore. I can't like fry up hamburger while I'm pregnant and even not being pregnant it still looks gross and smells terrible to me. All of us moms worry! And your welcome.

Laura Zoey - posted on 11/01/2010

Thanks! Ya I try not to worry about the weight, but my dr is kind of old school about bf during pregnancy and she makes me worry that I won't gain enough! I know I will be fine but it's weird how a dr can shake your confidence like that even if you know better.
I actually have some oatmeal! I'll try to eat it this week for breakfast, maybe it will help. I'm still turned off of most red meat, and meat in general but I remember later in my 1st peg I got to a point where it looked good again. Hopefuly happens again.
Thanks for the support, I think I mostly need to trust my body. And cut out the worrying. But what mom doesn't worry right :)

Sarh - posted on 11/01/2010

Laura, I think you are early enough in your pregnancy that baby wont be affected by it. Lots of women loose like 15lbs in the beginning and still have healthy babies. I'm not sure what your diet consists of but, try some oatmeal (it will also increase your milk supply), and red meat is a good weight adder. My mom is tall and skinny, lots of times she only drink her McDonald's soda and doesn't eat much. When she needs to put a little more meat on her bones she eats red meat (ground beef) and rice and/or potatoes. Not sure if you know about the BRATs diet, but it is awesome for the stomach viruses and helps eliminate diarrhea. B-bananas, R-rice, A-applesauce, T-toast. I'm assuming you know about that already w/how much research and stuff you do. Also, if Eric gets sick again w/something affecting his tummy, I have been told by doctors and read numerous places that you are not to change a child's (whether an infant, toddler, preschooler, or even us adults) diet/what they normally would be eating.
Sorry to hear you all were sick. Good luck w/the pregnancy.

Laura Zoey - posted on 11/01/2010

Too true sarh! Eric has had about four cold viruses, but thankfully nothing worse then that! We all just got over a bad case of stomach virus and my hubby and I spent about a day each with it all coming back out and Eric was not affected! Lol but I think he was bf even more cuz he was scared of how we were acting and looking. Toddlers are so sensitive! And now I lost like 3 lbs and I'm desperately trying to gain weight cuz I'm three months preggo, but I have to say that Eric staying healthy is worth the weight!

Sarh - posted on 10/30/2010

I would just like to add some to Sarah and Laura's conversation. I am breastfeeding my son who is now 4months and 2weeks old. He just got over a sinus infection and ear infection. Breastfed babies do get sick as well as formula fed babies. Not saying Laura said breast fed babies never get sick. I just wanted to point that out.

Sarah - posted on 10/30/2010

@Laura i did not misrepresent breast feeding and you're certainly making it out like i did EVERYTHING wrong and I might add thats an american site, i live in australia and our food safety standards are very very different to yours

Laura Zoey - posted on 10/30/2010

http://www.infantformula.org/news-room/p...

This is where I got the leukemia stuff from, it's a formula web site so I can't imagine it's going to say anything bad about it's product without due cause. Yes the listdoesnt include masectomy patients, which is a valid reason! But I don't think a latch issue, or a supply issue would keep me from breastfeeding, with enough help I believe supply can be reestablished, and latches can be fixed. I haven't ever heard of milk not being nutritious, but obviously it happened to you. But I am confident it is so completely rare which would be why it isn't mentioned in any breastfeeding resources. But I truly am sorry that this has gotten so heated, but when breastfeeding is being mis represented I feel obligated to defend it as it is seriously under appreciated in many countries.

I do know what it feels like to regret or something similar, I chose to circumcise my son and now have to live with that for ever and now knowing how wrong I was to do so it's not easy to live with. Guilt is not fun and I know how it feels. But you shouldn't be guilty you did nothing wrong, sometimes our bodies just don't work like we thought they would and that's not your fault.

Sarah - posted on 10/30/2010

@Laura...there are plenty more reasons than that like baby doesn't latch on, you don't actually have boobs (due to a mastectomy) your milk doesn't come in or your milk simply has nothing of value at all which was the case with mine and yes i did get it tested and they said i was just "unlucky" and to try again next time.



and as for formula causing leukemia seriously do you buy into everything that is posted on the news? The way I see it is everything causes cancer and everything cures cancer because they really have no idea on what specific environmental causes and foods actually cause cancer at all, they're just merely guessing. I also did my research before I chose the formula I wanted my son to have and guess what they've had no deaths no recalls and none of their drinkers have gotten leukemia I may also add my son did not get his first illness until he was 6 months old and he only got sick because he was teething. Most formula comes with something along the lines of immunicare which provides a lot of immunisation against things that breastmilk would pass on hence why my son was 6 months old and got his first incredibly minor cold, and thats if you could call it that it was mainly just a runny nose, i get sick more often.



and how did i upset you exactly? if anything you've upset me with your breast is best formula bashing ways. Just face it Laura while most mothers know breast is best not all of us can provide that so really you need to walk a mile in someones shoes who cant breastfeed before you can comment on how heartbreaking it is to have to feed your baby a bottle when you want nothing more than to continue with breastfeeding.

Kelly - posted on 10/30/2010

Some mothers cant breast feed because there milk doesnt come ini know a lot of girls like that but in my case i switched because i thought it was because of me he was spitting up so much but hen i found out he has acid reflux and then my doctor told me to put cereal in his bottle. But with my next baby i really hope he/she doesnt have that because i want to breast feed him/her as long as possible

Laura Zoey - posted on 10/27/2010

Thanks sarh, yes cigarettes are hopefully used only with consenting adults, but that's another topic ;)

Sarh - posted on 10/27/2010

Laura, I think a lot of us mothers and people in general speak before we think. And yes, I do see your point w/the whole cigarettes thing, but that is why those are not to be sold to children under the age of 18yr old. Once your 18yrs old you should be old enough to decide whether or not to take those risks.

Laura Zoey - posted on 10/27/2010

Sarah, yes I don't know how it would feel to not breastfeed. But I feel like there's little to no reason I could ever not be able to breastfeed. I looked up the reasons why a mom can't breastfeed and this is what I found
An infant diagnosed with galactosemia, a rare genetic metabolic disorder

The infant whose mother:

Has been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

Is taking antiretroviral medications

Has untreated, active tuberculosis

Is infected with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I or type II

Is using or is dependent upon an illicit drug

Is taking prescribed cancer chemotherapy agents, such as antimetabolites that interfere with DNA replication and cell division

Is undergoing radiation therapies; however, such nuclear medicine therapies require only a temporary interruption in breastfeeding

So yes in theory I could be faced with a reason I couldn't breastfeed but odds are slim I would have one of these conditions.
But if need be, I would use donated milk, and vie looked into all my options as I'm quite the worrier. Aren't all moms?! But yes I can't fathom the feelings I would go through if I couldn't breastfeed. And I can't apologize enough that I made you feel bad. That's not my intention, never will be. I'm just a "feisty girl who speaks before she think when she knows she's right" a quote from my mom back when I was a child.
So I apologize again for bringing you any bad feelings, I never want to hurt anyone. I just want to help and sometimes my facts are stated to harshly!

Laura Zoey - posted on 10/27/2010

I'm sorry if my comments were upsetting, I simply said the risks of early solids are similar to the risks of formula. That's not judgemental that's just facts.
No formula doesn't regularly hurt babies but yes because of the missing things that formula does not have, it can cause diseases that are deadly. Also formula has been recalled because of babies dying due to improper batches.
So yes in general it's safe, but to a mom dealing with her child having leukemia and knowing that formula increases the risk of leukemia, you could see how in her mind formula is not safe! Most babies grow well on formual, some do not. I'm not comparing these two items but there are cigarettes available on the shelf that millions use world wide and we all know cigarettes cause death. We can't trust that just because something is available to purchase it's safe, because sometimes it's not.
As I said I'm not comparing cigarettes to formula! I'm simply trying to say we can't trust that anything is safe just because it's for sale.
I'm not trying to argue here, but just as you need to defend yourself, so do I, and I can't just let it go that easily when I feel so upset about your comments.

Cylie - posted on 10/27/2010

at 6 months mine was 20 and half poundsand 27 half long no he's not big he just had growth srirt early!

Sarah - posted on 10/27/2010

Marsh was 9lb and was 52cm long! and yes they would not make something and put it on shelves and used by millions world wide for their children if it was going to harm them

Sarh - posted on 10/27/2010

NICE! My daughter was 9lbs 13.5oz. lol. She was the same way. They would not make something for babies that was harmful to them. That would just be cruel.

Rikki - posted on 10/27/2010

hi sarah he was born 9lbs 2oz and i have had to start him on solids because he was having 260ml bottles and feeds were no longer satisfying him. and as for ear infections most cause are due to water getting in there ears while having a bath and i felt so bad as well when i could no longer breastfeed my little man but but the way i see it is that formula makers have added all the good stuff little babys need it may be artifical but i have not meet one baby that has problems because of formula

Sarh - posted on 10/26/2010

Rikki, I LOVE big babies! And your bubby sounds long and slightly chunky, so no harm there, he will be a big tall boy!! Can I ask how big he was at birth?

Sarah, I completely agree!!! There is nothing wrong w/formula fed babies. I had to stop nursing my daughter at 3 months of age because I was having medical issues and could no longer breast feed due to tests and scans I had to have done. I was so upset w/myself because she started getting ear infections w/in about a week! They were chronic one right after the medication was done for the one before. I had been blaming myself and beating myself up over it for the past 4 yrs! But now, my son is 4 months old and got an ear infection and I am still breast feeding him... now all I can think is what am I doing wrong?!?! I'm so scared that he will have them reoccurring like my baby girl and now I have no clue why. Breast fed babies get sick as well as formula fed babies, well not if you shelter them from the world, then they just get sick when they start school or when they do become "exposed". Anyways. Sarah, don't feel bad!! And no you were not experimenting on your son, you are doing what you believe is best for your son and I support you on that!!! Keep up the good jobs mommies! :)

Sarah - posted on 10/26/2010

@Laura I wasn't "Experimenting" on my son when i gave him formula i simply could not breastfeed...how dare you make formula feeding mothers feel more bad about the fact they cant breast feed seriously i think you need to live in the shoes of a mother who wants to breast feed but cant

Rikki - posted on 10/26/2010

hi there my bub is 16 weeks old and he is 19lbs 5oz and is 26 and half inches. i felt bad as well everone would say i was over feeding him blah blah blah but once they start crawling and doing more stuff there eight will start going down dont stress and if anything its good because if they get sick they have the weight behind them

Kayleigh - posted on 10/26/2010

wow my son is 10 months old and weighs just under 22lb! but all babys are different they all develop at different paces and they all grow at different pace unless your health visitor/gp says otherwise there isn o reason to worry

Candyce - posted on 10/26/2010

I just read some of the other posts and I have to say that I know all of the opinions are overwhelming. You're going to have two sides to every coin and more viewpoints than there are a$$holes, so go with what you and your family decide is best. If you, ashis mother, decide that solids are best, then give it a try, a little at a time, to see how he handles it. If you decide you want to wait, then wait. YOU are the mother, so YOU get to decide what is best for your offspring. I decided my son was ready for smashed potatoes and creamy food at 4-5 months, so that's what he got. And he's thrived. Not because it's the best thing for everyone, but it was the best for my child. So take in as much info as you need, get as many opinions as you need, but in the end, you're going to make your own choice - the choice that you, as a mother, feel to be the best for your son. You're the one who's ultimately responsible for that little life, so you're the one who gets to call the shots. Own it and strut.

Blessed Be

Sarh - posted on 10/26/2010

Laura, I'm not being defensive, I'm just stating that early solids has worked for us in my family. I have changed my views/opinions/parenting ways/etc by researching. I have changed my ways of the car seat, I do not trust drop side cribs that do not have the rod that goes all the way down each side, I am going to try to breastfeed as long as possible, and so many more things I could list off, but this is not the time or the place.

Kelly! I apologize for this nonsense on your post! I know this is not the time or the place to be discussing these differences or what not.

Candyce - posted on 10/26/2010

As long as he's healthy and growing and developing properly, I'd be proud of such a big boy!. My son was a short little thing at birth (about 7 lbs, only 18" long) and ended up at just under 20 lbs and 27.5" at four months (his first Thanksgiving). He was HUUUUGE and beautiful. His dimples had dimples and his little jelly rolls were beautiful. Once they start crawling and walking, they'll shed that babyfat quite quickly, so enjoy the squishiness while you can. My boy's four now and while he's quite muscular, he has nowhere near the amount of babyfat I'd like to see. Still a tall and heavy one, this weight has more to do with bone and muscle. Just enjoy your baby and his cheeks ma. And take tons of pictures so when he gets super skinny as a kid, you'll have proof he used to be a chunky monster. It'll be gone waaaaay too soon.

Laura Zoey - posted on 10/26/2010

Some are ok with the risks, some are not. I like to parent within the lines of safety and health. When bottles of formula are not satisfying a baby there's not much choices as it's obvious that formula is not complete nutrition, it's getting better, but it doesnt have all the things babies need to thrive. So yes you might need early solids for a formula baby but since formula carries the same risks as early solids your child was already at risk for those side effects simply from the formula. The recomendations are for breastfed babies who are already being fed by the health guidelines. I dont claim to know much on formula feedings becauae i wouldnt use it. But i dont think solids are much more risky then formula anyways.

When moms are so defensive as you guys are there's no room to learn, no room to improve. I know I'm not perfect which is why I do all the learning I can and listen to those with the facts. My son is not here for me to experiment on. I won't be taking unnecsasry risks with his health. But a risk to one mom sounds safe to another. Our kids are the only ones counting on us to choose right. And they are the ones who could suffer from us deciding badly.

Idk why you all don't respect the medical professionals, but I know you are the majority and I am minority. America is full of unhealthy people who prove that the traditional ways of parenting are not working.

There's no use trying to educate a mom who isn't listening to facts. Or who is too defensive. So I'm done. My goal is to teach the moms who want to learn for the sake of their child, not to argue with moms who are perfect and don't need to follow guidelines.

Sarh - posted on 10/26/2010

I would have been scared shit less! I believe my mother was also feed solids very early and she is as well... not necessarily under weight I don't think, but she is 5'11" and only weighs about 140lbs. Wait... she might not even fit in the recommendation (BMI) for her height, because they have made that to the anorexics and sickly skinny females in the world. haha. Honestly, if I was as skinny as the BMI states, I would look SOOO sick and gross. And NO since I'm not what my BMI is supposed to be does not mean I'm obese!

Sarah - posted on 10/26/2010

@Sarh I am also living proof of no problems of starting solids early, I started rice cereal at 1 week and im perfectly fine, im actually underweight but that has nothing to do with digestion or metabolism i started early because i severe reflux and had gone from 2.5 kg (leaving weight from hospital) to just 90 grams because i wasn't keeping anything down. of course my mum being a pead nurse and first time mum was shit scared and i spent weeks in hospital being fed yep you guessed it rice cereal.

Sarh - posted on 10/26/2010

Sharlain & Sarah, you are not wrong! I was started on solids early, now at 21 I have no digestive/stomach issues, I'm not obese, and I do not have one single food allergy. My brother started solids at about a month old because he had tripled his birth weight in about 3-4 weeks on breast milk alone!!!! After that my mom was no longer able to keep up w/his demand! He is now 13yrs old and has no food allergies, no stomach/digestive issues, and not obese!

I started my daughter (now 4 yrs old) on solids at 3 weeks old. She did perfectly fine and is as healthy as can be today. She was born 9lbs 13.5oz and 22 1/2in, now she is 65lbs and 4feet tall! W/not a single food allergy, no digestive/stomach problems, and she is clearly not obese!

My son who is now 4 months old started foods at about 4 weeks due to having reflux and the doctor dismissing it. He has had purees and has done just fine w/everything I've given him (except the dairy in my diet! of course of all things right! haha).



It is simply trial and error! Every baby is different and every baby is ready at a different age.

And Laura, you have your own ways of parenting, why can't the rest of the mothers have their own ways of parenting. The way you word your comments is always so judge mental.

I'm living proof that it does not cause long term effects!

Sarah - posted on 10/26/2010

and like i keep saying some babies have a need to start earlier...and WHO has been known to get things wrong in the past too



Edit: so you mean to say when my son was having the maximum amount of formula for that stage and was still hungry (both scoops and feeds) i should of just left him screaming even though i knew he was still hungry?

Laura Zoey - posted on 10/26/2010

http://kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/del...



Not referring to books, just the world health organization American academy of family physicians etc.

Research and study groups and analysis of intestinal tracts etc.

Books are, as you know, not always factually based and can give bad advise.

Long term side effects of early solids aren't sometimes apparent until adulthood or later but most are so subtle you wouldn't think of it being caused by early solids. But they are there, for most who had early solids.

As for big babies, I couldn't imagine that a bigger baby could have older intestine development, age is the factor in when the gut closes, not size.I'm just trying to help Kelly avoid the myths about big babies needing solids early, not trying to change the world of parenting. Just because something turned out fine in some experiences doesn't make it good. My mom was a 'fine' adult but her mom smoked and drank during pregnancy.that doesn't mean it's safe to do those things just because she was fine.

I like facts, proven facts when it comes to my sons health. I don't trust anyones word blindly, show me the proof before I risk my sons future.

Sharlain - posted on 10/26/2010

Laura, fyi, I do not go by what books say or don't say. I am not new to this and my 17 yr did fine with solid at 3 months old. I listen to my peers who have life experience not ppl i don't no out of book. Most of who have never had children.

Sarah - posted on 10/25/2010

some bigger babies stomachs can handle solids earlier, trial and error really and its a guideline as i said all babies are different and some can stomach things earlier and some later....the key word id GUIDELINE

Laura Zoey - posted on 10/25/2010

yes some pediatritions give personal recommendations against the country or world recommendations. thats their right as a dr to give advise, but as i said. its the major health organizations that say no less then 6 months due to immaturity of the stomach and intestines etc etc etc.
my pediatrition recommended i wean at a year and put him on cows milk and front face him in the car. that doesnt mean that its good advise, just her personal opinion.
(not based in any facts either)

Sarah - posted on 10/25/2010

while most health professionals recommend you start solids at 6 months it really depends on the baby as all babies are different. it was recommended by my pead that my son started at 4 months as bottle feeds were no longer satisfying...he started on rice cereal and had no problems whatsoever so while there are guidelines there are some babies who will need to eat solids earlier and some that will need them later

Laura Zoey - posted on 10/25/2010

Sharlain, just fyi, its not rcommended to start any solids until 6 months by any major health organization accross the world.
6 months is the minimum recommendation and theres tons of data to back it up, maybe look it up a bit, he probably isnt eating it well because he isnt ready, as his stomach isnt ready until at least 6 months.

Sharlain - posted on 10/25/2010

My baby is almost 5 months old. I had him weighed at 4 and a half months and he was almost 15lbs. His height is 2ft 2inches. He was only 6lb1oz born and is making up for it now. I don't think you should be worrying, it takes the enjoyment of being with him away. Everyone's always telling me what a chunky boy i have. just means he is going to be big and strong. Never feel bad when you are doing a great job with your baby. My boy is now starting solid food and i've been trying him with it since he was 3 months old.

Nicola - posted on 10/25/2010

Don't feel bad all babies are different in size it all evens out though once they start moving, a big baby is a really healty baby in my opion (it means hes getting all the nutrients out of his food). Also how big was he when he was born as in the first year a baby should atleast triple there birth weight, oh and don't compare him to baby girls the same age as boys do tend to be alot bigger in weight and size.

Laura - posted on 10/23/2010

My son is exactly the same size and age. He is bigger than most his age but he is a healthy baby. He is exclusively breastfeed so I feed on demand. Love your baby and don't worry about his weight he sounds like he is just fine!

Laura Zoey - posted on 10/23/2010

Lol :)